Ageless: The New Science of Getting Older Without Getting Old

Ageless is a guide to the science driving biology’s biggest story: why we get old, and how we can stop it. Ageing – not cancer, not heart disease – is the world’s leading cause of death and suffering. We accept as inevitable that as we get older our bodies and minds begin to deteriorate, and we are increasingly likely to be struck by dementia or disease. Ageing is so deeply ingrained in human experience that we never think to ask: is it necessary? Biologists, on the other hand, have been investigating that question for years. Ageless introduces us to the cutting-edge research that is paving the way for a revolution in medicine. It takes us inside the laboratories where scientists are studying every aspect of the cell – DNA, mitochondria, stems cells, our immune systems, even age genes that have helped animals to a tenfold increase in lifespan – all in an effort to forestall or reverse the body’s decline. Computational biologist Andrew Steele offers reality-based hope, explaining what is happening as we age and practical ways we can help slow down the process. He reveals how understanding the scientific implications of ageing could lead to the greatest discovery in the history of medicine – one that has the potential to improve billions of lives, save trillions of dollars, and transform the human condition.

About the Author :
Dr Andrew Steele is a 32-year-old computational biologist. He is a Research Fellow at the Francis Crick Institute in London, using computers to decode our DNA and unravel the secrets hidden in some of modern biology’s biggest data. He has a first-class degree and a DPhil in physics from Oxford University, where he used particle accelerators to understand the inner workings of magnetic and superconducting materials. The transition from physics to biology came about when he realised that ageing is the single largest cause of human suffering, and wanted to do something about it. He has featured in or on the Guardian, Sky News, The One Show, and Discovery’s Impossible Engineering and Through the Wormhole, BBC Radio 4’s Inside Science and Newshour.

Review :
A tour de force of anti-ageing science Steele is a superb guide to the wilder fringes of real medicine . . . He understands that ageing is an experience to be lived meaningfully and fully, as well as a fascinating medical problem to be solved. His vision is very tightly controlled . . . I heartily recommend Ageless. It’s modest in scope, and generous in detail. It’s an honest and optimistic contribution Ambitious and energetic . . . Give[s] a startling round-up of the biological factors that make us age and the emerging techniques to tackle them . . . Writing with the vim of a Bill Bryson and the technical knowledge of a scientist, Steele gives us a chance to grasp what’s at stake in this dazzling, daunting age where big data meets human biology Ageless employs a scientific vocabulary – autophagy, amyloids, adducts and countless other specialised terms abound. But the book is nevertheless accessible, its style chatty and engaging . . . This is an enthralling book . . . Ageless is a rich and exciting exploration of that surprisingly intriguing topic we’d rather not talk about: old age A fascinating read with almost every page bursting with extraordinary facts . . . Steele is not a crank or a snake-oil salesman. He’s not a ‘wellness’ YouTuber. He doesn’t work for Goop. He’s a biologist . . . We can take what he says seriously There are some incredible revelations in this book. The science is fascinating . . . What Steele says is both revolutionary and important – life-changing in the true sense of the word. His thinking is bold, visionary, utopian A fascinating book delivering an education into the ageing process and an insight into the possibilities of the future An immensely important book. Steele surveys the biology of human ageing, as well as the cutting-edge research on how to prevent it. The first person to achieve immortality may already have been born. Is it you?! This is an essential book for anyone interested in the fast-developing science of longevity Ageless is a fascinating, stimulating and pleasingly practical guide to the science of ageing and how we might be able to bend the arrow of biological time to improve our health Few issues can be more important for our future than ensuring we age as well as possible. Ageless explains the extraordinary achievements and promise of current scientific research around longevity. Read it and prepare to think differently about your future In his book Ageless, Andrew Steele describes how the field of ageing biology moved from hope to promise. This is a masterful roadmap for interested lay people, scientists at large and also geroscientists like myself – I was surprised how much I learned A fascinating look at how scientists are working to help doctors treat not just one disease at a time, but the ageing process itself, helping us all to lead longer, healthier lives A rigorous yet enjoyably readable, spellbinding tale