Gerontology podcasts

An audio feature examining research on DNA damage, repair and ageing. The episode explores evidence that inadequate repair contributes to age-related biological changes, and scientific efforts to test whether improving repair can extend healthy life. Nature published this episode on 2 September 2026.

Nature staff discuss evidence from whales and mole rats suggesting that DNA repair may contribute to longevity, and how COVID-19 can reactivate dormant viruses.

Nicholas Weiler and neurologist Katrin Andreasson discuss connections between inflammation, energy metabolism and Alzheimer's disease. Andreasson describes how aging can alter microglia and astrocytes, affecting the immune and metabolic support that neurons receive. The conversation explores research on inflammatory signaling and the possibility that immune dysfunction outside the brain contributes to neurodegeneration. It also examines experiments in which targeting peripheral inflammation restored memory in mouse models, and why human clinical studies are needed to establish whether these findings can lead to effective treatments.

Hosted by Nicholas Weiler

Steven Strogatz talks with aging researchers Judith Campisi and Dena Dubal about why organisms age and why the process varies between individuals. The conversation examines cellular senescence, the influence of genes, differences in longevity between women and men, and the relationship between aging and diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. The researchers discuss what experimental evidence can tell us about slowing or reversing aspects of aging, while distinguishing living longer from preserving health and function.

Hosted by Steven Strogatz

Hilde Loge Nilsen discusses research on ageing, cellular repair and proposals to extend healthy life. Conversation in Norwegian.