Question 1

Why do we age?

Accepted Answer

Aging is the accumulation of thousands of small cellular failures, including telomere shortening, mitochondrial damage, and the buildup of senescent zombie cells. It is best understood as a side effect that natural selection failed to remove, since selection loses interest after reproduction.

Question 2

Can aging be reversed in humans?

Accepted Answer

Not yet. No proven pill, supplement, or cream reverses aging in people. In 2020 a Harvard lab restored vision in aged mice by resetting cellular epigenetic markers, but this remains an animal proof of concept, not a human treatment.

Question 3

What is the difference between lifespan and healthspan?

Accepted Answer

Lifespan is the total number of years a person lives. Healthspan is the number of those years lived free of serious disease and disability. Modern aging research increasingly aims to extend healthspan rather than simply add years of frailty.

longevity

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The Dial We Did Not Know We Had