In search of immortality
The title of the book is very illustrative: the authors analyze the science of stretching life. The perpetual desire of the human being to extend life has been a constant; as they say in the prologue, the search for immortality, the war against diseases and the fear of death have been for thousands of years human concerns. And not only that. An industry has been born. According to the authors, the industry to lengthen life starts from a certain truth, but is soon confused with a lot of pseudoscience. The aim of the book is precisely to distill and present the existing science in this broad and complex subject.
Part of the idea of immortality. The first chapter analyzes where the idea arises and where it is headed. And, of course, to talk about immortality from a scientific point of view, it is essential to analyze what is death and aging. We have to die. It is a direct consequence of sexual reproduction. And we have to die because it is more effective for the transmission of genes than facing aging. In short, genetic information is immortal, but those who transmit genetic information, living beings, must die.
Once this idea has been clarified, the authors talk about life expectancy and analyze how it has grown thanks to the health system. There has been a medical revolution that has not ended. Important efforts to increase life continue. They explain it in the second half of the book.
They also talk about the physics and chemistry of aging, such as antioxidant substances. And seeing what are the genetic limits of life, they raise efforts to overcome them. Also the industry and advertising around this idea.
The book is easily read. It has a very nice and didactic style. And perhaps the main gift of the book is that it offers a complete picture of aging science.
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