X-Message-Number: 2697
From: Ralph Merkle <>
Subject: CRYONICS: What Fruit Flies  Can Teach Us About Upper Lifespan Limits
Date: 	Fri, 22 Apr 1994 10:33:03 PDT


PARC Forum
Date: Thursday, April 28, 1994
Time: 4:00 p.m.
Place: PARC Auditorium

Xerox PARC, 3333 Coyote Hill Road, Palo Alto CA

James R. Carey Department of Entomology University of California, Davis

WHAT FRUIT FLIES CAN TEACH US ABOUT UPPER LIFESPAN LIMITS

Do species possess maximal ages? Is the female advantage in longevity
universal? How should we define senescence (the process of becoming
old)? This talk will address important conceptual questions pertaining
to lifespan limits and bring the results of large scale fruit fly aging
studies to bear on the practical question of species-specific life
spans, particularly of human lifespan.  Lifespan limits refer to two
types of age boundaries: (1)the absolute oldest age possible by any
human. (For example, it is widely believed that the French woman who
recently celebrated her 119th birthday is close to the upper bound of
human longevity)  (2)the oldest average age that individuals in
developed countries such as the U.S. can be expected to attain in a
society where health conditions are optimal.  It is argued by many
gerontologists that 85 years is the natural age of death and is
achievable through so-called "successful aging". Indeed, one of the most
hotly debated questions in gerontology and demography is whether human
life expectancy will continue to increase or whether it is approaching
its natural limits in developed countries. 
______________________

This Forum is OPEN to the Public.  All are invited.

For more information contact Steve Harrison at (415) 812-4392
()

Refreshments will be served at 3:45 p.m.

Requests for videotapes for *Xerox Employees Only* should be sent to
Suzie Mulhern (mulhern:PARC:Xerox) .

The PARC auditorium is located at 3333 Coyote Hill Road in Palo Alto. 
We are betwen Page Mill Road (West of Foothill Expressway) and Hillview
Avenue, in the Stanford Research Park.  From Page Mill Road, turn onto
Coyote Hill Road.  Drive Up Coyote Hill past the horse pastures; PARC is
the only building on the left, just past the crest of the hill.  Due to
some construction in our main parking lot, please park across the Coyote
Hill Road. Cross the street and enter the auditorium at the upper level
of the building.  The auditorium entrance is located down the stairs and
to the left of the main doors from the outside of the building.

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