Spotted something on Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal’s face? Here’s what it is

A small device worn near Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal’s eye has unexpectedly become the centre of a heated science-versus-speculation debate. The wearable, called Temple, claims to track blood flow in the brain continuously and in real time—an ambitious promise that has drawn sharp criticism from medical experts.

The discussion gained traction after Goyal appeared wearing the device on a popular podcast, prompting viewers to flood social media with questions about the mysterious gadget on his face.

So what exactly is Temple?

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Temple is an experimental sensor developed by Continue Research, a health and longevity venture backed by Goyal and linked to Zomato’s parent firm, Eternal. According to Goyal, the device is designed to measure cerebral blood flow continuously—a metric that, if proven reliable, could have implications for neuroscience and ageing research.

He has positioned Temple as an open-source, science-driven project rather than a consumer product. According to multiple reports, Goyal has invested around $25 million of his personal wealth into this research. For now, the device is not available commercially and is being used only as part of internal experiments. Temple is also tied to Goyal’s controversial Gravity Aging Hypothesis, which suggests that gravity itself may play a role in human ageing by reducing blood flow to certain parts of the brain over long periods of upright posture.

“I’m not sharing this as the CEO of Eternal, but as a fellow human, curious enough to follow a strange thread … Newton gave us a word for it. Einstein said it bends spacetime. I am saying gravity shortens lifespan,” Goyal wrote.

Why are doctors pushing back?

The strongest criticism has come from Dr Suvrankar Datta, an AI researcher and radiologist at AIIMS Delhi, who publicly dismissed the device’s current medical value. Posting on X, Datta argued that Temple has “zero scientific standing” as a useful health device at present. Referring to his work in arterial stiffness and pulse wave velocity—indicators linked to cardiovascular mortality—he warned people against putting faith in unvalidated wearables.

“As a physician-scientist and one of the earliest researchers in India in Arterial Stiffness and Pulse Wave Velocity (2017) which predicts cardiovascular mortality, I can assure you that this device currently has 0 scientific standing as a useful device and do not waste your hard earned money to buy fancy toys billionaires can afford to waste money on. If you are one, then go ahead,” he wrote.

Is there any scientific proof yet?

At present, there is no publicly available clinical data showing that Temple can accurately measure cerebral blood flow in real-world conditions. Nor is there evidence that it can predict ageing or lifespan.

Medical experts point out that devices claiming to measure physiological parameters typically undergo years of validation — from lab testing and clinical trials to regulatory approval. Without this, such tools may be interesting experiments but not reliable medical instruments.

How credible is gravity-ageing idea?

Gravity’s impact on the human body is not a new area of study. Research on astronauts has shown that microgravity affects muscles, bones and circulation. However, scientists say that extending these findings to claim gravity shortens lifespan on Earth remains speculative.

For now, the theory sits firmly in the hypothesis stage, requiring substantial data, replication and peer review before it can be taken seriously in clinical or public health contexts.

To test the idea, Goyal and his team built Temple—a small sensor placed at the temple that tracks brain blood flow in real time. Goyal has said he has been wearing the device for more than a year while conducting experiments. He argues that even if the gravity theory is disproven, the device could still hold value. “Brain Flow is already well accepted as a biomarker for aging, longevity as well as cognition. So this device is useful and relevant even if the Gravity Aging Hypothesis turns out to be wrong,” he has said.

Accusations of pseudo-science and social media buzz

While some researchers and biohackers have expressed curiosity, others have been far more sceptical. One critic warned, “Please DO NOT DO INVERSIONS for brain health and super aging … This is pure pseudo-science.”

Goyal has also pointed to bats—which sleep upside down and are among the longest-living mammals — as anecdotal support for his hypothesis. Scientists counter that bat longevity is influenced by genetics, metabolism and evolution, not posture alone.

Addressing accusations that Temple is a marketing gimmick, Goyal responded to a LinkedIn user, “Temple is going to be a small cute company, if at all. Nothing compared to Eternal. We didn’t cook up the Gravity Aging Hypothesis to sell Temple. Not my game to lose the trust our customers have in me over a marketing gimmick.”

Meanwhile, online reactions have ranged from intrigue to mockery. Some users joked that the device looked like chewing gum stuck to his face, while others suggested that the flood of “what’s that thing on his face?” comments was itself a form of marketing.