The picture shows two 9-month-old mice from the study. The one on the right received the drug to eliminate senescent cells (from the NYT, 2 November, 2011, taken by Jan van Deursen).

Never mind living to 120; what we want is to live healthy to whatever age biology allotted us. Age is the major risk factor for most cancers and for chronic diseases like arthritis. Why is it? Evolutionary biologists tell us that this is nature’s way of clearing us off the stage, so as not to compete with the young for resources. Maybe. I find this theory a bit unsatisfying, if for no other reason than the fact that lower species, Continue reading →