By the year 2050 one in five of the world's population will be 65 or older, a fact which presages profound medical, biological, philosophical, and political changes in the coming century. In Time of Our Lives, Tom Kirkwood draws on more than twenty years of research to make sense of the evolution of aging, to explain how aging occurs, and to answer fundamental questions like why women live longer than men. He shows that we age because our genes, evolving at a time when life was "nasty, brutish, and short," placed little priority on the long-term maintenance of our bodies. With such knowledge, along with new insights from genome research, we can devise ways to target the root causes of aging and of age-related diseases such as Alzheimer's and osteoporosis. He even considers the possibility that human beings will someday have greatly extended life spans or even be free from senescence altogether. Beautifully written by one of the world's pioneering researchers into the science of aging, Time of Our Lives is a clear, original and, above all, inspiring investigation of a process all of us experience but few of us understand.

In this text, Thomas Kirkwood examines closely why we age, how human ageing compares to that of other animal species, what the menopause is for, why our memories fail as we get older and whether cancer is inevitable. Looking at the subject from a variety of perspectives, the book also projects us hundreds of years into a future where most of the symptoms of ageing have been conquered - and shows us what society could be like.

Tom Kirkwood, Britain's only Professor of Biological Gerontology, explores the fascinating science of ageing. His ground-breaking new book examines closely the question of why we age at all; how human ageing compares to that of other animal species; why women live longer than men; what the menopause is for; why our memories fail as we get older; whether cancer is inevitable in extreme old age; and how ageing affects our bodies and our behaviour. Looking at the subject from a variety of perspectives - evolutionary, social, psychological and physiological - and written with the story-telling skills of a journalist and the authority of a world class scientist, this book provides a fully up-to-date view of this crucial subject, as well as insights that delight on almost every page. It concludes with a superb short story that projects us hundreds of years into the future when most of the symptoms of ageing have been conquered to show us what society could be like. Far from being depressing, this is an accessible, inspirational, life-affirming book.

As featured on BBC Radio 4's Start the Week 'A rich, timely study for the era of "global ageing"'- Nature The ageing of the world population is one of the most important issues facing humanity in the 21st century – up there with climate change in its potential global impact. Sometime before 2020, the number of people over 65 worldwide will, for the first time, be greater than the number of 0–4 year olds, and it will keep on rising. The strains this is causing on society are already evident as health and social services everywhere struggle to cope with the care needs of the elderly. But why and how do we age? Scientists have been asking this question for centuries, yet there is still no agreement. There are a myriad competing theories, from the idea that our bodies simply wear out with the rough and tumble of living, like well-worn shoes or a rusting car, to the belief that ageing and death are genetically programmed and controlled. In Borrowed Time, Sue Armstrong tells the story of science's quest to understand ageing and to prevent or delay the crippling conditions so often associated with old age. She focusses inward – on what is going on in our bodies at the most basic level of the cells and genes as the years pass – to look for answers to why and how our skin wrinkles with age, our wounds take much longer to heal than they did when we were kids, and why words escape us at crucial moments in conversation.This book explores these questions and many others through interviews with key scientists in the field of gerontology and with people who have interesting and important stories to tell about their personal experiences of ageing.

In the past century, average life expectancies have nearly doubled, and today, for the first time in human history, many people have a realistic chance of living to eighty or beyond. As life expectancy increases, Americans need accurate, scientifically grounded information so that they can take full responsibility for their own later years. In The Art and Science of Aging Well, Mark E. Williams, M.D., discusses the remarkable advances that medical science has made in the field of aging and the steps that people may take to enhance their lives as they age. Through his own observations and by use of the most current medical research, Williams offers practical advice to help aging readers and those who care for them enjoy personal growth and approach aging with optimism and even joy. The Art and Science of Aging Well gives a realistic portrait of how aging occurs and provides important advice for self-improvement and philosophical, spiritual, and conscious evolution. Williams argues that we have considerable choice in determining the quality of our own old age. Refuting the perspective of aging that insists that personal, social, economic, and health care declines are persistent and inevitable, he takes a more holistic approach, revealing the multiple facets of old age. Williams provides the resources for a happy and productive later life.

Forever Young: The Science of Aging by the Editors of Scientific American Today, an infant born in the US will probably live to see his or her 78th birthday, a 20- year-plus increase over the average lifespan a century ago. While living well into the 80s and 90s is becoming more and more attainable, how many more years can humanity expect to gain? The two main barriers are accumulated damage to cells and organs that occurs over time and age-related illnesses like cancer and Alzheimer's disease. Researchers are divided over where to pour their efforts, and in this eBook, Forever Young: The Science of Aging we take a look at what science knows—and what it's striving to learn—about the aging process. Both genes and environment influence how long people live and how "well" they age, as discussed in Section 1, "A Matter of Time: The Aging Process." The eBook opens with "Why Can't We Live Forever," where author Thomas Kirkwood explains exactly why by way of his "disposable soma" theory. Other theories of how we age, including the role of telomeres, free radicals and caloric restriction, are discussed in subsequent sections. Recent studies have called into question long-held beliefs about the anti-aging benefits of antioxidants and reducing caloric intake. Though there are a number of age-related illnesses, few are so devastating as Alzheimer's disease, covered in its own section. While there's still no cure, a slew of clinical drug trials is underway. Finally, we examine the quest for longevity, featuring stories on both life-extension research and lifestyle choices. In particular, "Fit Body, Fit Mind?" looks at how to prevent age-related mental decline by staying physically fit and socially involved. So while there's no miracle pill on the horizon that will extend our lives to 150, we can certainly make the most of the years we do have.