Why Do We Get Old, and Can Aging Be Reversed?

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.