• Question: Can we age back to be younger?

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      Asked by Dr.Unknown to Sinead, Neil, Mark, Florence, Anne on 10 Nov 2015.
      • Photo: Anne Moore

        Anne Moore answered on 10 Nov 2015:


        Hi Dr. Unknown,
        I don’t think so, at this point. It might also have safety issues; you’d need to think of a way to prevent cell death; cell death and growth is a knife-edge & you could drive increased cancer. Or a strategy could work very well! Always have an open mind.
        An area of big research interest at the moment is how to age healthily. So even though you are getting physically older, you are not ageing.
        Hope this helps.
        Anne

      • Photo: Sinead Balgobin

        Sinead Balgobin answered on 11 Nov 2015:


        I don’t think so, your body ages because it is a natural thing- cells die because others are made, when they don’t die it can cause cancerous tumours. There are animals that age very slowly though, like the naked mole rat, and ones that can protect themselves from dangerous environments, like water bears (tardigrades) and some scientists are looking at ways that we can slow down the negative process of ageing, so that we can live healthier lives for longer. Some scientists even claim that the first person to live to 1000 has already been born! (I don’t know whether I believe that, but I guess I’ll never find out… unless it’s me! doubtful haha)

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