The Quest for Immortality: Science at the Frontiers of Aging (Hardcover)

Such fixes do not, will not and cannot work, write scientists Jay Olshansky and Bruce Carnes in this book-length argument against the claims of "prolongevists," those who believe that the fountain of youth is just around the corner. "Short of medical interventions that manufacture survival time," the authors argue, "there is very little you can do as an individual to extend the latent potential for longevity that was present at your conception." In the aggregate, they continue, we have already passed the far limits of our life expectancy, as is evident by the fact that many of the diseases that plague us today, such as certain cancers and neuromuscular disorders, are the expression of genes that have long been with us but were not often manifest, because humans did not live long enough for them to become a problem.

Adding still more years will do nothing to improve the quality of life, Olshansky and Carnes suggest. The better approach is to guard our health during the years that are ours--and to regard all claims to immortality and life extension, no matter how attractive, with a sceptical eye. --Gregory McNamee

Synopsis
Researchers in the field of biodemography at the U. of Chicago's Center on Aging overview the quest for the "alchemy of prolongevity," and cull fact from hype regarding scientific advances toward living longer, healthier lives. A life table shows anticipated years of life remaining by age and gender. Lacks references. Annotation c. Book News, Inc.,