Can we stop ag(e)ing? Science News 2

Can we stop age? Yes, well maybe.

A lot of people hate death right? If you do you might have a lucky life, because it is possible. Our cells have death programmed into them! What!?!?! Not cool cells! Cells copy themselves, and they have a limit to dividing themselves, the limit is called the Hayflick Limit. Which is named after Leonard Hayflick. The cells can be stopped completely by force, by cooling the cells down. But when the cell warms back up it continues from where it left off.

Scientists have wondering why this happens, it's because of the chromosomes, if the chromosomes get unprotected that's when the cell stops reproducing itself. Surprisingly, cancer cells can actually divide forever which cause tumors. Plus our genes also cancel the immortal action. Cyntha Kenyon found that there is one gene that is making the test worms age. That gene is called, DAF-2. She messed with the gene to make it now work and the worms lived 28 days instead of 14 days. It's twice as long! DAF-16 is the opposite, it makes the test worms younger! DAF-2 restricts the effects of DAF-16 to make the worm younger, so if you damage DAF-2, DAF-16 would work and be in full effect.

In mice there is a gene called IGF-1, there is less cell and organ damage along with oxedation when you silence the gene. There is one more thing that causes aging, and it's calories! Lower intake of calories lead to longer life spans! Calories stimulate IGF-1, which is one of the other reasons we talked about earlier. If you thought to get celery and water, don't! It might not work for humans! The kids(10 yrs. old) from 1921 are still living from a test.

Take a look at your family age span, if you want to keep living do the most obvious and good things, like not smoking. Just one more thing, there is a religion that is called Seventh-Day Adventists that is a Christian Denomination and have a lifespan of 88 years! Thanks for reading!

Credits:
SciShow - Why We Age - And How We Can Stop It