Listen now: Spring Chicken Stay Young Forever author Bill Gifford
Is it possible to slow down the aging process?
Injections of dog blood in the nineteenth century and of human growth hormone today mean big business for those selling products to answer that question. The history of our quest to live longer and healthier lives is full of scientific breakthroughs as well as hoaxes and gimmicks.
Unexpectedly, the naked mole rat may prove to be our best model for longevity. With no cancer, no menopause, and long lives, the mole rats’ DNA may help scientists understand why our own genes signal the aging process.
In his book Spring Chicken: Stay Young Forever (or Die Trying), journalist Bill Gifford relates the story of humankind’s obsession with slowing the aging process and the effects it has on our lives. Hair gets thinner, our pace gets slower, and sadly many of us develop diseases such as cancer or Alzheimer’s. Like the dog hormone injections, many so-called “cures” for aging are not cures at all. However, current scientific research on the life cycles of our own cells – the components that grow and change with us and carry our DNA – may still hold promise for a better understanding of aging in our future.
Author Bill Gifford
Bill Gifford discusses his book, what current research says we can do to age well, and what aging might look like in the future.
