Why We Die (the New Science Of Ageing And Longevity)

By (author) Venki Ramakrishnan
Short description/annotation:
A groundbreaking exploration of the science of longevity from Nobel Prize-winning biologist Venki Ramakrishnan
Description:

How can science help us live better and longer? A groundbreaking exploration of longevity from Nobel Prize-winning biologist Venki Ramakrishnan
SHORTLISTED FOR THE ROYAL SOCIETY SCIENCE BOOK PRIZE 2024
A SUNDAY TIMES AND NEW SCIENTIST BOOK OF THE YEAR
A FINANCIAL TIMES BEST READ

''Changed my perspective on the whole living world.'' - CHRIS VAN TULLEKEN
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We are living through an exciting revolution in biology. Giant strides are being made in our understanding of why we age, and why some species live longer than others. Will we soon be able to cheat disease and death and live for a very long time, possibly many times our current lifespan?

Why We Die shares the latest scientific understanding of what causes ageing and how we might prevent it. Ramakrishnan examines the cutting-edge efforts to extend the human lifespan by altering our natural biology, raising profound questions and unravelling mind-bending answers along the way. Does death serve a necessary biological purpose? What will it mean for us all if some people start living longer? And how can we increase our chances of living long, healthy and fulfilled lives?

''An incredible journey.'' - SIDDHARTHA MUKHERJEE
''Joyfully alive'' - STEVE BRUSATTE
''Scientists do not come much more eminent than Venki Ramakrishnan... wonderfully readable... fascinating.'' FINANCIAL TIMES

*As heard on BBC Radio 4 Start the Week*
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''I have so enjoyed reading this spectacular book - it''s full of hope and fun and extraordinary research. It beautifully answers the question at the core of every life. Understanding why we must die helps us understand how we must live. It changed my perspective on the whole living world but most of all myself and the time I have left.''
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"Combines science, politics, memoir and medicine with ease, grace and lucidity. An incredible journey.''
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"Enthralling and eminently accessible. ... [Ramakrishnan] probes the essential ethical question that runs through it all. Even if we could live forever, should we?"
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"Ramakrishnan is a fine writer, so readers will enjoy his expert if intensely detailed overview of genetics and evolution as it applies to ageing. ... Fascinating. ... An illuminating account of the science of life extension with a more critical eye than most."
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"[Ramakrishnan] has a knack for making biology accessible, and he brings a searching philosophical sensibility when considering the wisdom of seeking to extend life. ... The result is a strikingly pensive exploration of how bodies decline and whether efforts to slow that process are worth the cost."
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"Why We Die is a candid, wide-ranging, and hype-free survey of the latest in longevity research, from tortoises to telomeres. With his delightful gift for storytelling, Venki Ramakrishnan breathes life into the biology of death. If you want to know what science tells us about lifespan, Why We Die is the only book you need."
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''A wide-ranging look at the changes that take place inside our cells as we age, the prospects for being able to prevent them, and the possible consequences of doing that. An engrossing read.''
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''Why We Die brilliantly captures the essentials of current understanding of the aging process. This is an enjoyable romp through molecular and cell biolo