The Evolution of Aging, the Great Transition, and the Increasing Risk of Chronic Disease
Explore the complex interplay between evolution, aging, and chronic disease in this comprehensive lecture. Delve into the evolutionary genetics of aging, examining selection pressures on lifespan and the life history theory. Discover the HAM-LAM experiment and mortality assay findings that shed light on lifespan evolution. Investigate which organisms must age and the implications for symmetrically reproducing organisms. Analyze the Great Transition, encompassing the industrial revolution and demographic and epidemiological shifts, and its impact on human evolution. Examine how increased life expectancy exposes antagonistic pleiotropy, leading to higher risks of breast cancer, Alzheimer's, and cardiovascular diseases. Consider the potential for humans to evolve longer lifespans and the growing tension between biology and culture in this thought-provoking presentation.