Why We Die
eBook - ePub

Why We Die

The New Science of Aging and the Quest for Immortality

  1. 352 pages
  2. English
  3. ePUB (mobile friendly)
  4. Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub

Why We Die

The New Science of Aging and the Quest for Immortality

About this book

"Utterly fascinating." —Bill Bryson

"An incredible journey." —Siddhartha Mukherjee

*WINNER OF THE 2025 ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN PUBLISHERS PROSE AWARD FOR BEST BOOK ON BIOLOGY*

*2025 NAUTILUS BOOK AWARDS GOLD WINNER FOR SCIENCE AND COSMOLOGY*

A groundbreaking exploration of the science of longevity and mortality—from Nobel Prize-winning molecular biologist Venki Ramakrishnan

The knowledge of death is so terrifying that we live most of our lives in denial of it. One of the most difficult moments of childhood must be when each of us first realizes that not only we but all our loved ones will die—and there is nothing we can do about it.

Or at least, there hasn’t been. Today, we are living through a revolution in biology. Giant strides are being made in understanding why we age—and why some species live longer than others. Could we eventually cheat disease and death and live for a very long time, possibly many times our current lifespan?

Venki Ramakrishnan, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry and former president of the Royal Society, takes us on a riveting journey to the frontiers of biology, asking whether we must be mortal. Covering the recent breakthroughs in scientific research, he examines the cutting edge of efforts to extend lifespan by altering our physiology. But might death serve a necessary biological purpose? What are the social and ethical costs of attempting to live forever?

Why We Die is a narrative of uncommon insight and beauty from one of our leading public intellectuals.

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Yes, you can access Why We Die by Venki Ramakrishnan in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Biological Sciences & Geriatrics. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.

Information

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Dedication
  4. Contents
  5. Introduction
  6. 1. The Immortal Gene and the Disposable Body
  7. 2. Live Fast and Die Young
  8. 3. Destroying the Master Controller
  9. 4. The Problem with Ends
  10. 5. Resetting the Biological Clock
  11. 6. Recycling the Garbage
  12. 7. Less Is More
  13. 8. Lessons from a Lowly Worm
  14. 9. The Stowaway Within Us
  15. 10. Aches, Pains, and Vampire Blood
  16. 11. Crackpots or Prophets?
  17. 12. Should We Live Forever?
  18. Acknowledgements
  19. Notes
  20. Index
  21. About the Author
  22. Also by Venki Ramakrishnan
  23. Copyright
  24. About the Publisher