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What does it take to lead a long and vibrant life? The right genes? An active lifestyle? A little luck? Scientists studying the aging process believe there are several possible keys to increased longevity. Their astonishing findings suggest that someday, human beings may live to 125, 150 or even 200 years of age! Don't believe it? Then tune in to Never Say Die (Show 1003), airing Tuesday, January 25, 2000, at 8 p.m. ET on PBS.
On this fascinating new Scientific American Frontiers special, host Alan Alda introduces viewers to the men and women whose goal is to double (or maybe triple) the average human life span. (Scientists named below answer viewers' queries in Ask the Scientists.)
Restricted-calorie diets high in nutrition have been shown to extend lab animals' life span. By eating less, can we live longer? Roy Walford, a physician at the UCLA School of Medicine, thinks so. Meet him and learn about his work in "Eat Less, Live Longer."
What are telomeres? You may not know, but they have an incredible effect on your life. In "The Clock of Life," Calvin Harley, Chief Scientist at Geron Corporation in California, explains the dramatic relationship between telomeres -- short sequences of DNA on the ends of all chromosomes -- and aging.
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In "Wisdom of the Worms," watch Cynthia Kenyon, a biologist at the University of California, San Francisco, demonstrate why her amazing genetic experiments on microscopic nematodes have allowed them to live up to four times as long as normal.
See just how close biotechnology is to using human tissue grown in the lab for replacing or repairing worn-out bones, cartilage, blood vessels, heart muscle or other organs and body parts, as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Gordana Vunjak Novakovic reveals "How to Make a Nose."
Loss of memory and cognitive functioning may not be an inevitable part of aging. According to Marilyn Albert of Massachusetts General Hospital, staying active physically and mentally can help us retain our thinking abilities as we age. Find out how to keep your brain mentally fit in "Use It Or Lose It."
Do you have what it takes to be a scientist? Find out more about the exciting possibilities of a career in science from Roy Walford.
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