Why Do We Age?
Aging happens when vital information gets lost. It’s not just errors in our genetic code; there’s a delicate dance of modifications, known as epigenetics, that’s also disrupted by how we live and the environment we’re in.
Imagine your body as a city, with buildings (cells) operating according to scripts in their libraries (DNA). These scripts are consistent throughout the city, setting the stage for basic functions. Yet, it’s the bookmarks (epigenetic information) that direct the daily tasks, ensuring bakeries bake and car factories assemble.
Why Do We Age?
Aging happens when vital information gets lost. It’s not just errors in our genetic code; there’s a delicate dance of modifications, known as epigenetics, that’s also disrupted by how we live and the environment we’re in.
Imagine your body as a city, with buildings (cells) operating according to scripts in their libraries (DNA). These scripts are consistent throughout the city, setting the stage for basic functions. Yet, it’s the bookmarks (epigenetic information) that direct the daily tasks, ensuring bakeries bake and car factories assemble.
But the city’s designs aren’t foolproof. While scripts can survive a few disasters—thanks to backup copies—the bookmarks are unique and can’t be replaced. If lost, a building’s function may go haywire. Unfixable structures are torn down and rebuilt based on another of the same kind. But imagine, over time, errors accumulate in many buildings, and these mistakes are replicated in new ones. This leads to widespread dysfunction and decline.
This relentless cycle of loss and mistaken reconstruction is the process of aging. As more buildings falter, our city—our body—can no longer operate at its peak, marking the relentless march of time.
But the city’s designs aren’t foolproof. While scripts can survive a few disasters—thanks to backup copies—the bookmarks are unique and can’t be replaced. If lost, a building’s function may go haywire. Unfixable structures are torn down and rebuilt based on another of the same kind. But imagine, over time, errors accumulate in many buildings, and these mistakes are replicated in new ones. This leads to widespread dysfunction and decline.
This relentless cycle of loss and mistaken reconstruction is the process of aging. As more buildings falter, our city—our body—can no longer operate at its peak, marking the relentless march of time.