The Origins Of Death

Although most people think of aging as one of the most immutable and inescapable facts of life there is increasing scientific evidence and theoretical support for the idea that aging will eventually be much more medically treatable than previously thought.

Darwin\'s Dilemna

Darwin's theory of evolution says that essentially everything that distinguishes a man from a microbe is the result of natural selection. Yet Darwin's theory also says that animals and humans should not age. For more than 140 years, scientists have been torn between believing that aging is an evolved adaptation and part of an animal's design resulting from natural selection, despite Darwin's theory, or believing that it was not an adaptation despite extensive and growing evidence that it was. Traditional, currently highly respected, "non-adaptive" theories of aging, developed mostly in the 1950s, tend to be very pessimistic regarding the possibility of successful major medical intervention in the aging process, thus discouraging anti-aging research. "Adaptive" theories, proposed in 1882 and now revived by a growing number of theorists suggest that aging is functionally more like a universal genetic disease and is therefore potentially highly treatable. Intervening discoveries including modern genetics and the discovery of aging genes provide increased support for the adaptive theories. Increasing understanding of the actual mechanics of inheritance and evolution including the digital nature of the genetic code suggest that Darwin's theory itself needs some adjustment.

The Evolution of Aging