X-Message-Number: 12829 From: Thomas Donaldson <> Subject: about evolution and longevity Date: Thu, 25 Nov 1999 00:06:58 +1100 (EST) Ideas about the evolution of aging and death: One article of much use here is by GC Williams, in EVOLUTION 11(1957) 398-411. It retains its value even at this time because Williams was a very clear thinker. Basically, unless a biochemical or gene actually promoted life at some time in an animal's life, it would not persist. This includes p66. Later theorists of evolution made Williams' ideas very quantitative, but basically said the same thing. If you're interested in that further work, try WD Hamilton, JOURNAL OF THEORETICAL BIOLOGY 12(1966) 12-45. Both of these articles give lots of information about just what can happen. Among their interesting predictions (though the process would be far too slow for us) is that we're now evolving longer and longer lifespans. Yes, John Clark deserves some congratulation for working out part of these ideas on his own. I've personally felt they were important to us for a long time. Why? Because if (for some reason) there were an EVOLUTIONARY pressure against us acquiring longer lives, then no amount of technology which did no more than lengthen lives would work: all those who had their lifespans increased would be outbred and outcompeted by those who died. As I have just said, this idea is quite contrary to current thinking about evolution, which if anything predicts a pressure toward LONGER lives. Best and long long life for all, Thomas Donaldson Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=12829