Bibliograph

The long and the short of it, the science of life span and aging, Jonathan Silvertown

Type

Label

The long and the short of it, the science of life span and aging, Jonathan Silvertown

Language

eng

Bibliography note

Includes bibliographical references (pages [163]-188) and index

Illustrations

illustrations

Index

index present

Literary Form

non fiction

Main title

The long and the short of it

Nature of contents

bibliography

Oclc number

846490514

Responsibility statement

Jonathan Silvertown

Sub title

the science of life span and aging

Summary

Everything that lives will die. That's the fundamental fact of life. But not everyone dies at the same age: people vary wildly in their patterns of aging and their life spans - and that variation is nothing compared to what's found in other animal and plant species. A giant fungus found in Michigan has been alive since the Ice Age, while a dragonfly lives but four months, a mayfly half an hour. What accounts for these variations - and what can we learn from them that might help us understand, or better manage, our own aging? With The Long and the Short of It, biologist and writer Jonathan Silvertown offers readers a fascinating tour through the scientific study of longevity and aging

Table Of Contents

Death and immortality : destination -- An hourglass on the run : life span -- After many a summer : aging -- The eternal thing : heredity -- Green age : plants -- The visionary solution : natural selection -- Semele's sacrifice : suicide -- Live fast, die young : pace -- Forever young? : mechanisms -- Appendix. Scientific names of species mentioned in the text

Target audience

adult

Classification