The Quest for Immortality: Science at the Frontiers of Aging

As the baby boomers age, the number of books on the aging process seems to increase exponentially. Similarly, the range of elixirs, potions, herbs, specialty diets and hormones being marketed as ways to halt or reverse the aging process has been growing apace. Olshansky, a senior research scientist at the University of Chicago, and Carnes, an expert on aging, insert their voices into the mix, refuting many of the claims of purveyors of these products, reminding readers that ""we should all be wary of those who distort legitimate science and use pseudoscience or no science in order to create and market false promises and exaggerated claims about health and longevity."" They begin with a brief but far-reaching history of the human preoccupation with the Fountain of Youth, going all the way back to Babylonian and Greek myth and describing alchemical pursuits during the Renaissance. They then present an overview of current scientific study of the aging process, covering such topics as the evolutionary reasons for aging, cellular changes associated with the process and the physiological alterations inextricably linked to it. The authors address advances in medicine and public health that have led to dramatic increases in the human lifespan in developed countries over the past century, and that may yield genetic therapies intended to even further enhance longevity. Unfortunately, the authors seem to give secondary priority to the writing: there are distracting repetitions and awkward transitions between the singular and plural first person. But they argue persuasively that, taking whole populations into account, overall lifespan is unlikely to increase significantly, and that the most productive means for improving quality, and perhaps length, of life are mundane diet monitoring and consistent physical activity. (Jan.)