[extropy-chat] AGING: Live fast, die old

[The Avantguardian]

> The finding challenges a century-old theory that
> animals with higher metabolic
> rates die younger. This is based on observations
> that big animals with low
> metabolic rates, such as elephants, tend to outlive
> small, high metabolism
> ones, such as mice: hence the old adage, "live fast,
> die young."
> 
> While this overall trend may be true when comparing
> different species, the new
> study suggests it may be reversed for animals within
> one species. "It was a
> complete surprise," says Speakman.
> 
   Actually this isn't a surprise to me. It is a
fairly well known fact that between species larger
species with lower metabolisms live longer than
smaller species with higher metabolisms. But within a
species smaller individuals (with consequent higher
metabolisms) are the ones that live longer than their
larger fellows. This is very apparent in species that
have a very wide range of sizes like dogs where
massive saint bernards only live 8 years or so while
the scrawny little chihuahua can live 20 years. This
observation tends to hold for people as well. It may
even explain why women who tend to be smaller than men
also tend to live longer.
   Although what was posted doesn't explicitly mention
it, I will bet that Speakman's mice are smaller than
average.


=====
The Avantguardian 


"He stands like some sort of pagan god or deposed tyrant. Staring out over the city he's sworn to . . .to stare out over and it's evident just by looking at him that he's got some pretty heavy things on his mind."


	
		
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