Download Borrowed Time The Science of How and Why We Age Bloomsbury Sigma Sue Armstrong 9781472936066 Books
Download Borrowed Time The Science of How and Why We Age Bloomsbury Sigma Sue Armstrong 9781472936066 Books
Download As PDF : Borrowed Time The Science of How and Why We Age Bloomsbury Sigma Sue Armstrong 9781472936066 Books
The question of how and why organisms age has teased scientists for centuries. There are myriad competing theories, from the idea that aging is a simple wear and tear process, like the rusting of a car, to the belief that aging and death are genetically programmed and controlled. In fact, there is no clearly defined limit to life, and no single, predictable program playing itself out different things are happening within and between tissues, and each system or organ accumulates damage at its own pace, according to the kind of insults imposed on it by daily living.
Sometime before 2020, the number of people over sixty-five worldwide will, for the first time, be greater than the number of 0-4 year olds; and by 2050 there are likely to be 2.5 times as many older people in the world as toddlers. Sue Armstrong tells the story of society's quest to understand aging through the eyes of the scientists themselves, as well as through the "ordinary" people who exemplify the mysteries of ageing--from those who suffer from the premature aging condition, Hutchinson-Gilford syndrome, to people still running marathons in their 80s.
Borrowed Time will investigate such mind-boggling experiments as transfusing young blood into old rodents, and research into transplanting the first human head, among many others. It will explore where science is taking us and what issues are being raised from a psychological, philosophical and ethical perspective, through interviews with, and profiles of, key scientists in the field and the people who represent interesting and important aspects of aging.
Download Borrowed Time The Science of How and Why We Age Bloomsbury Sigma Sue Armstrong 9781472936066 Books
"This is a deep and engaging look into the research and researchers trying to figure out why and how humans age, and what can possibly be done not just to prolong our final years but to lessen the burden of disease and misery we endure as we travel toward our ultimate demise.
As with Sue Armstrong's previous book on the cancer gene (P53), the reader plunges immediately into the drama of the competing theories that raged, and continue to rage, about the cause(s) of ageing. I particularly like the book's chronological approach, starting with older theories whose acceptance was so total that it took genuine scientific renegades to question them and ultimately discredit them through new research.
As she introduces the successive theories and the science that bolsters them, the reader is gripped - and sometimes unsettled, as with the chapter on conjoining the vascular systems of two mice, one old and one young, to see whether something in the bloodstream can either prolong life in the old and/or shorten it in the young (both theories turned out to be true). But I did find it hopeful to learn that a handful of anti-ageing approaches are potentially useful for our species. For example, with the right political will we might be able to reduce the risk of Alzheimer's from air pollution and smoking. On the medical front, a trial is currently in progress with metformin, currently used as a diabetes medicine, to see whether it is also successful in prolonging the life of non-diabetics. How I would love to read a sequel in a few years updating us on how all this knowledge is being translated into longer and healthier human lifespans!
I happen to be a professional medical writer (disclosure: I helped the author, a longtime friend, with some editing suggestions). But no science background is needed in order to enjoy and learn from the book, which is written in clear and delightfully colorful language (with the occasional Scottishism thrown in)."
Product details
|
Tags : Buy Borrowed Time The Science of How and Why We Age (Bloomsbury Sigma) on ✓ FREE SHIPPING on qualified orders,Sue Armstrong,Borrowed Time The Science of How and Why We Age (Bloomsbury Sigma),Bloomsbury Sigma,147293606X,Aging,Aging - Physiological aspects,Aging - Social aspects,Aging.,Aging;Physiological aspects.,Aging;Social aspects.,104301 Bloomsbury UK Special Interest HC,AGING OF CELLS,AGING PHYSIOLOGY,Family Relationships/Life Stages - Later Years,General,General Adult,Life Sciences / Cell Biology,Non-Fiction,SCI/TECH,SCIENCE / Life Sciences / Biology,SCIENCE / Life Sciences / Cell Biology,SCIENCE / Life Sciences / Human Anatomy Physiology,Science/Life Sciences - Cell Biology,Science/Math,United States,aging; old age; genetics; disease; dying; death; medicine; aging population; healthy aging; aging process; popular science; dementia; Alzheimer; alzheimer's disease; signs of dementia; memory loss; osteoporosis; reverse aging; why we get old
Borrowed Time The Science of How and Why We Age Bloomsbury Sigma Sue Armstrong 9781472936066 Books Reviews :
Borrowed Time The Science of How and Why We Age Bloomsbury Sigma Sue Armstrong 9781472936066 Books Reviews
- This is a very good book describing what happens to us as we age. Addresses some very complex technologies and science, but does it in a very readable way for those of us who are not medical experts.
- If you are interested in the how and why behind aging, Borrowed Time The Science of How and Why We Age will explain current aging research in an easily understandable manner while opening up a whole new frontier of science to lay readers.
Borrowed Time The Science of How and Why We Age is definitely a popular science book. The definitions of terms and especially acronyms are written in plain English. The science is clearly explained. However, it is the conclusions drawn that are stunning. Experiments in worms have shown it is possible to extend life tenfold. However, it appears that “ageing is the price we pay for protection against cancer.†Unfortunately, many of the proposed aging solutions caused similar issues. Just a note on the worms the roundworms carried on the space shuttle Columbia for experimentation were the only survivors of the explosion that killed everything else. Some of their descendants were carried eight years later to the International Space Station on the Endeavor.
I found this book to be really interesting because I didn’t know anything about how the aging process works or any of the multitude of research projects trying to stop it. I would recommend not talking to your 20-something daughter about the importance of the FOXO gene variant, where you basically won the old age lottery. My daughter’s eyes glazed over sometime during the first sentence. I should have started with the fact that fruit flies share 60% of our genes and the worms mentioned above only share 33%. I just have to give this book 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars! I couldn’t put it down!
Thanks to Bloomsbury Sigma and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review. - This is a deep and engaging look into the research and researchers trying to figure out why and how humans age, and what can possibly be done not just to prolong our final years but to lessen the burden of disease and misery we endure as we travel toward our ultimate demise.
As with Sue Armstrong's previous book on the cancer gene (P53), the reader plunges immediately into the drama of the competing theories that raged, and continue to rage, about the cause(s) of ageing. I particularly like the book's chronological approach, starting with older theories whose acceptance was so total that it took genuine scientific renegades to question them and ultimately discredit them through new research.
As she introduces the successive theories and the science that bolsters them, the reader is gripped - and sometimes unsettled, as with the chapter on conjoining the vascular systems of two mice, one old and one young, to see whether something in the bloodstream can either prolong life in the old and/or shorten it in the young (both theories turned out to be true). But I did find it hopeful to learn that a handful of anti-ageing approaches are potentially useful for our species. For example, with the right political will we might be able to reduce the risk of Alzheimer's from air pollution and smoking. On the medical front, a trial is currently in progress with metformin, currently used as a diabetes medicine, to see whether it is also successful in prolonging the life of non-diabetics. How I would love to read a sequel in a few years updating us on how all this knowledge is being translated into longer and healthier human lifespans!
I happen to be a professional medical writer (disclosure I helped the author, a longtime friend, with some editing suggestions). But no science background is needed in order to enjoy and learn from the book, which is written in clear and delightfully colorful language (with the occasional Scottishism thrown in). - In an insightful first two-thirds of the book, Armstrong provides a succinct summary of the key hypotheses associated with ageing. Starting from "pay later theory", free radicals, epigenetic alterations, calorie restriction, stem cell exhaustion, oxidative damage theory and somewhat more recent hypotheses centered on telomerase, tumor suppressors, and recent discoveries from genetic studies are well summarized. For each key school of thought, the key basis, experiments leading to the conclusions, contra-evidence and how it set the stage for the next set of hypotheses are well presented.
As one reads through these sections, one can easily grasp not only the sheer complexity of the topic but also how science builds on generations of experimentation. One gets some intriguing information on the role of animal models and experimental methods involving fruit flies, rats, worms, and primates. As the book starts dealing with more deeper topics such as gene mutations, it does assume a basic understanding of genetics.
The last few chapters take a much sharper focus on Alzheimers disease - though the transition from the core hypotheses on aging to Alzheimers is somewhat abrupt. Nevertheless one gets an excellent understanding of the ongoing drug trials and the key hypotheses driving them.
Overall, the book provides a very informative look into the process of ageing, ongoing efforts in converting promising lab results to something more directly applicable to humans. A fascinating read. 4.5*
Based on a ARC from Netgalley - Thank you Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Interesting read but if you don't have a medical or science background it can be hard to follow. It's very heavy on research and references to other works on aging. Still solid work on understanding why cells breakdown over time and the possibility of minimizing that process.
Comments
Post a Comment