Abstract
In evolutionary terms, aging appears at first to be a paradox. In this article, we discuss how evolutionary biologists make sense of the existence of aging, as well as the wide variation in life spans among life forms. We outline key ideas from evolutionary aging theory, including waning natural selection with age, mutation accumulation, antagonistic pleiotropy, the disposable soma, and life history trade-offs. We explore briefly the diversity of aging patterns across the tree of life, placing humans in comparative context. Finally, we consider the implications of evolutionary thinking – particularly the concepts of physiological and developmental trade-offs – for human biology and health.
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