Efforts to tinker with the biology of ageing to treat disease and extend lifespan are beginning to resemble the split personalities of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. This week, scientists revealed that giving healthy, middle-aged mice an ingredient found in red wine fends off heart disease, bone loss and muscle atrophy. But the chemical, called ...

It may have seemed like good news when federal officials announced earlier this month that U.S. life expectancy had jumped four months and, for the first time, surpassed 78 years. But forget about 78. What if someone said that you--not some future generation--should be able to live into your 90s in relatively good health? In Pictures: The ...

Scientists in Spain and Italy have identified a group of proteins in laboratory rats that could help explain two enduring medical mysteries why women live longer than men and why calorie restriction stands as the only proven method of extending longevity. Their study, which could help scientists understand the biochemical underpinnings of aging, ...

A particular type of white blood cell is more abundant in people whose parents live to be 100, a study shows. Researchers hope the cells can be used as a marker for longevity - and perhaps even lead to a way for people to live longer. It's well known the children of parents who have a long life are also likely to reach a healthy age, but ...

Dr. Robert Butler, 81, says he felt a need to "sum up" all he has learned in 50 years of studying longevity. "This was a hard book to write," he says of his massive tome, "The Longevity Revolution" (Public Affairs, 2008). 'There is a paradox. On one hand, longevity is a great human achievement, and on the other ...

The government says Americans' life expectancy has surpassed 78 years. While that is a record, the U.S. still lags behind 30 other countries in longevity. Japan tops the list, with children born in 2006 expected to live until they are 83. The government says the increase in life span is due to falling mortality rates for most leading causes ...

A GENE linked to IQ might also help to prolong life. The gene codes for an enzyme called succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase (SSADH), which destroys GABA, a neurotransmitter that dampens brain activity and causes drowsiness. The gene comes in two common forms: the so-called "T" version is 20 per cent less efficient than the ...

"It's not a matter of if, but when," said gerontologist David Sinclair of a drug that promises a long and healthy life -- not quite a fountain of youth, but perhaps a fountain of fitness. Best of all, predicted Sinclair, you'll be able to afford it. Speaking yesterday at a World Science Festival discussion on the science of ...

Is 90 the new 50?  Not yet, aging researchers say, but medical breakthroughs to significantly extend life and ease the ailments of getting older are closer than many people think. "The general public has no idea what's coming," said David Sinclair, a Harvard Medical School professor who has made headlines with research into ...

Aubrey de Grey is the Chair and Chief Science Officer of the Methuselah Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to combating the aging process. In this talk presented at the February Silicon Valley Transhumanist Meetup, he outlined the several most notable developments in funding and research taking place at the Methuselah Foundation ...