• Question: Why do we grow old

    • Keywords:
      • Click on a keyword to find out more on the RSC site:
      Asked by TRIKSHOTER 123 to Angus, Catherine, Jenni, Melissa, Waqar on 21 Jun 2016.
      • Photo: Catherine Ross

        Catherine Ross answered on 21 Jun 2016:

        We grow old as our cells can no longer replace themselves, the telomere chains grow shorter as we grow older until they become so short that they cannot grow again, this leads to DNA with missing pieces and the cell cannot replace itself.

      • Photo: Melissa Ladyman

        Melissa Ladyman answered on 22 Jun 2016:

        I agree with Catherine’s answer. It’s all down to Biology- the cells in our bodies can’t keep on replicating forever. As we grow older the cells grow a bit slower, and the DNA doesn’t quite replicate perfectly… However, we don’t yet have all the answers. How long we live might be programmed into our DNA. In reality it is probably a mixture of things.

    Comments