Why do we age-is there anything we can do about it

Subject: RE: Why do we age-is there anything we can do abou
From: Victor in Mapperton
Date: 06 May 08 - 06:24 PM

For a man in the evening of his life such as myself a smile from a young lady is as good as a tonic !

Subject: RE: Why do we age-is there anything we can do about it
From: gnu
Date: 06 May 08 - 06:31 PM

Ain't that the best? A smile. And, yes, before all the negative comments.... a smile from a young lady can make us old lads feel grand for days, if only from the memmories.

Subject: RE: Why do we age-is there anything we can do about it
From: Little Hawk
Date: 06 May 08 - 06:58 PM

He claims to be 158, McGrath, but I'm not quite sure if he was serious or not when he said that. It's a little hard to tell. He has a beard which looks like something you'd have seen in the mid to late 1800s.

Subject: RE: Why do we age-is there anything we can do abou
From: john f weldon
Date: 06 May 08 - 08:49 PM

We age in order to die, and we die to allow novelty into the universe.
This was written for the film "To Be"

to be

The last verse went:
"A simple fact, sad but true
Nothing's fun unless it's new.
That's why we takes turns to see
What it's like... ...to Be."

Subject: RE: Why do we age-is there anything we can do about it
From: autolycus
Date: 07 May 08 - 02:07 AM

CK!! I've only been here 62 years and already this youthful, gadget-loving universe wants novelty.

Hasn't the universe compared how long it's been here with how lng I have.

If we want novelty, WHAT ABOUT A NEW UNIVERSE,hm?

Ivor

Subject: RE: Why do we age-is there anything we can do abou
From: Wyrd Sister
Date: 07 May 08 - 01:45 PM

"Youth is a gift of Nature: age is a work of art"

Fridge magnet so don't know attribution.

Subject: RE: Why do we age-is there anything we can do abou
From: GUEST,PMB
Date: 08 May 08 - 07:12 AM

The way I see it, it's pretty obvious. We have evolved to last long enough to reproduce and set up the next generation in working order. For some animals, like salmon, that's as soon as the eggs are laid. In some spiders the males don't even last beyond the mating. For us, it's long enough to supply the brats with the information to get going.

So anything beyond when the kids hit 20 or so is superfluous from a genetic point of view. Our genes aren't designed (by selection) to keep us healthy thereafter. Because we have also developed memetic transmission, there are some advantages in longer life, but these haven't had time or selective pressure to translate back into genes yet- and in any case, the memetic value might be greater if transmitted by an obviously older person.

As far as the ecosystem is concerned, once we've done our job, the sooner the carbon is recycled the better.

So we're Breaking the Rules by being here at all. Hands up all those who like breaking rules!

Subject: RE: Why do we age-is there anything we can do about it
From: Zen
Date: 08 May 08 - 08:06 AM

Then there is telomere shortening and cell senescence but no strong consensus on whether this is a cause, or consequence, of the ageing process.

Zen

Subject: RE: Why do we age-is there anything we can do about it
From: Mr Red
Date: 08 May 08 - 08:07 AM

Lie

I do.

thirty ten since you ask.

Subject: RE: Why do we age-is there anything we can do about it
From: autolycus
Date: 08 May 08 - 05:17 PM



Ivor

Subject: RE: Why do we age-is there anything we can do about it
From: gnu
Date: 08 May 08 - 05:30 PM

Wise indeed. I agree.

Subject: RE: Why do we age-is there anything we can do abou
From: Midchuck
Date: 08 May 08 - 10:07 PM

We are created by sperms and ova as a means of making more sperms and ova. Once that's done, we're of no further use - except, as has been pointed out above, to nurture the next generation until they're old enough to manage on their own.

Accepting this gives one a remarkable sense of freedom, once the children have moved out. If you're one of the lucky ones whose children do move out, at the appropriate time.

Peter

Subject: RE: Why do we age-is there anything we can do abou
From: bobad
Date: 08 May 08 - 10:26 PM

Apoptosis.

Subject: RE: Why do we age-is there anything we can do abou
From: Paul Burke
Date: 09 May 08 - 04:04 AM

Apoptosis is ever with us.

Subject: RE: Why do we age-is there anything we can do about it
From: theleveller
Date: 09 May 08 - 08:43 AM

As George Burns pointed out - "getting old isn't so bad when you consider the alternative".

Subject: RE: Why do we age-is there anything we can do about it
From: Mr Red
Date: 09 May 08 - 08:51 AM

He and Maurice Chevalier.