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<v Speaker 1>Oh hay, it's your old dad here. Save and use

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<v Speaker 1>some pancakes even though you sleep until eleven am Alley Ward.

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<v Speaker 1>And this is an episode of smologies. If you're like,

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<v Speaker 1>what is that? These are shorter, classroom friendly, kids safe episodes.

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<v Speaker 1>So if you're looking for the full shebang with more

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<v Speaker 1>information and probably me swearing a little bit like a trucker,

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<v Speaker 1>we've linked that in the show notes. There's the full

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<v Speaker 1>episode linked, but this is a shorter one. You can

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<v Speaker 1>listen as your carpool or with your classroom, or with

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<v Speaker 1>my grandmother if she were around, speaking of aging. So

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<v Speaker 1>this is an episode that is probably the least silly

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<v Speaker 1>one that we've ever done. But stick around to the

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<v Speaker 1>end because it ends with a twist that's very funny.

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<v Speaker 1>So enjoy that. And if you want more Smologies episodes,

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<v Speaker 1>if you go to allyward dot com slash smologies, we

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<v Speaker 1>have dozens up that are all shorter, kid friendly if

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<v Speaker 1>that's what you're looking for, And again we've linked that

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<v Speaker 1>in the show notes along with the original full length

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<v Speaker 1>episode that is not kid safe. Okay, ajing, why how

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<v Speaker 1>let's get into it. Let's talk about old age? Okay,

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<v Speaker 1>So biogerontology, etymology. So bio means life and jeron means

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<v Speaker 1>old man. So the biology of an old guy not

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<v Speaker 1>super inclusive in terms of its roots, but it's a

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<v Speaker 1>subset of gerontology. It examines the processes of aging. So

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<v Speaker 1>how does olding happen? Let's talk about metabolisms, modern life spans,

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<v Speaker 1>risk factors for losing your memory, Thoughts on a possible

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<v Speaker 1>cause and cure for Alzheimer's why we age, Secrets of centenarians,

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<v Speaker 1>and what a seventy eight year old professor and globally

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<v Speaker 1>lauded science hero does to stay so fit and so sharp.

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<v Speaker 1>So sit up straight, take some notes for the concentrated

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<v Speaker 1>crash course on the Forward March of Molecules with world

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<v Speaker 1>renowned biogerontologist doctor Caleb tuck Finch sologousglogyges. So what part

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<v Speaker 1>about the aging process fascinates you the most? Is it

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<v Speaker 1>the effect neurologically or is it the entire body?

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<v Speaker 2>It's the unknowns that we are still working out basic mechanisms,

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<v Speaker 2>and we know that it is under some genetic influence.

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<v Speaker 2>If you have the genes of a mouse, you're only

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<v Speaker 2>going to live two years. If you have the genes

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<v Speaker 2>of a human you might get to seventy eighty or ninety,

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<v Speaker 2>so it's genetic. But then among individuals, the role of

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<v Speaker 2>genetics seems to be much less. Roughly identical twins lifespans

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<v Speaker 2>you can attribute twenty percent of their heritability in aging

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<v Speaker 2>is due to genes that influence aging. It's really a

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<v Speaker 2>minority of the individual differences in humans and in other

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<v Speaker 2>animals can be attributed to inherited genes.

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<v Speaker 1>So only twenty percent is attributed to genes, which is

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<v Speaker 1>terrible news for those of us who like to deny

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<v Speaker 1>personal responsibility.

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<v Speaker 2>So I've been working on in many parts of my

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<v Speaker 2>career on environmental aspects of how individual gene responses to

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<v Speaker 2>the environment, to diet influence outcomes of aging. And I'm

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<v Speaker 2>now in the last six seven years been focusing on

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<v Speaker 2>air pollution, which shortens lifespan in proportion to the number

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<v Speaker 2>of particles per cubic meter and also accelerates almost all

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<v Speaker 2>of the diseases of aging, including the risk of Alzheimer's.

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<v Speaker 1>So let's go to the superbasics. As someone who is

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<v Speaker 1>not as well versed in this as you, what exactly

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<v Speaker 1>is aging? How do you define aging?

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<v Speaker 2>Well, the basic way is at a population level that

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<v Speaker 2>after the age of forty, your risk of mortality essentially

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<v Speaker 2>doubles every seven or eight years. Oh, so there's an

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<v Speaker 2>exponential increase in mortality risk. And preceding that is parallel

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<v Speaker 2>risk in chronic diseases, heart disease, cancer, and at later

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<v Speaker 2>ages Alzheimer's. So the individual pathways in this are not understood,

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<v Speaker 2>but as by age group, aging increases the risk of

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<v Speaker 2>chronic diseases that are causes of death. And then you

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<v Speaker 2>can ask at a more fundamental level, what are the

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<v Speaker 2>mechanisms behind that? And that's where the mystery is.

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<v Speaker 1>So our risks of disease and dying go exponentially up. Okay,

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<v Speaker 1>rather than bum you out let that fact. Encourage you

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<v Speaker 1>to write the novel that you've been intending to, or

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<v Speaker 1>Collins sick, go to six Flags tomorrow, or wear the

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<v Speaker 1>shoes you think you should save for fancy occasions were

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<v Speaker 1>today we're all getting old. Just go for it, Champ,

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<v Speaker 1>Speaking of how do you ask a genius expert the

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<v Speaker 1>most basic question ever? You just do it. People you

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<v Speaker 1>live in the now watch is it that ourselves don't

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<v Speaker 1>regenerate as fast? Is it?

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<v Speaker 2>That's part of it. Our molecules don't regenerate as fast,

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<v Speaker 2>and there's some molecules that are as old as we are,

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<v Speaker 2>in our blood vessels and our connective tissue and in

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<v Speaker 2>our eyes that undergo molecular deterioration.

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<v Speaker 1>I know they say you're kind of a new person

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<v Speaker 1>every seven years.

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<v Speaker 2>Is that that's not at all correct?

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<v Speaker 1>Okay, so that's some flim flam to debunk.

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<v Speaker 2>Which is not true. Yeah, that's one of those sort

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<v Speaker 2>of inherited tails that have no scientific substance. I have

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<v Speaker 2>no idea where that comes from.

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<v Speaker 1>I gotta look it up.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, there's no there's no science there, right.

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<v Speaker 1>I didn't think so it always, I mean it's always.

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<v Speaker 1>I don't know where that came from. But it's an

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<v Speaker 1>interesting myth.

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<v Speaker 2>And no, it's not interesting. It's disruptive because it's wrong.

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<v Speaker 1>Right. By the way, if you're like, was Ali just

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<v Speaker 1>dying at this point? The answer is yes, man, I

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<v Speaker 1>am dying up here, both from a molecular standpoint and psychologically.

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<v Speaker 1>But just stick around because like life, there are twists

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<v Speaker 1>and there are turns around every corner. So how old

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<v Speaker 1>are you really? Okay, there's a cool math trick you

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<v Speaker 1>can do you take your age and multiply it by sixteen,

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<v Speaker 1>then divide it by sixteen, which is your age. You're

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<v Speaker 1>just your age. I made you math for nothing. Here's

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<v Speaker 1>the deal. Your body is a bunch of different ages.

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<v Speaker 1>Like the lining of your guts, which are just constantly

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<v Speaker 1>splitsh splashing in an acid bath. They're newborns. They turn

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<v Speaker 1>over every five days or so, but skeletal muscles are fifteen.

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<v Speaker 1>They're about to get their learning permits. Some part of

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<v Speaker 1>your brain are just as old as you are. Just

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<v Speaker 1>about other parts turnover faster. The core of your eye

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<v Speaker 1>lens you can see ophthalmology episode from more on. That

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<v Speaker 1>is exactly your age from pre birth that never turns over.

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<v Speaker 1>This is fun. This is like antique road show for

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<v Speaker 1>your meat covered bone scaffolds.

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<v Speaker 2>What he's ever looked at it that I'm aware of?

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<v Speaker 1>Well?

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<v Speaker 2>Ted, did you notice when you showed this to me

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<v Speaker 2>that I kind of stopped breathing a little bit?

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<v Speaker 1>Not only that the condition of this is unbelievable. Now,

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<v Speaker 1>how do different animals age? I know you mentioned a

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<v Speaker 1>mouse might have a lifespan of two years.

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<v Speaker 2>Any each species has its own pattern of aging, So

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<v Speaker 2>mice don't get Alzheimer's disease, and they don't get blood

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<v Speaker 2>vessel disease and have heart attacks, but they do get

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<v Speaker 2>cancer and their arteries become more rigid and their lungs

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<v Speaker 2>become more rigid. Because of molecular aging. That part of

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<v Speaker 2>aging happens in humans at a much slower rate. And

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<v Speaker 2>in addition, we have diseases that are special to the

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<v Speaker 2>human species, including Alzheimer's disease.

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<v Speaker 1>Is the brain the part of our body that ages

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<v Speaker 1>the quickest or where do we see aging happen?

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<v Speaker 2>Well, I'd say blood vessels, and so there's in terms

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<v Speaker 2>of shared anatomy across men and women, the blood vessels

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<v Speaker 2>are already beginning to age even before puberty.

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<v Speaker 1>Really, yes, I just want to acknowledge that the terms

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<v Speaker 1>men and women and male and female are along a

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<v Speaker 1>gender binary that doesn't apply to everyone. And doctor Finch

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<v Speaker 1>is talking about broad strokes in historical studies, and I

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<v Speaker 1>just want to let the non binary folks know out

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<v Speaker 1>there that I see you and I love you. And

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<v Speaker 1>what about male versus female lifespans? Have we seen that

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<v Speaker 1>change over the last few decades or pretty study?

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<v Speaker 2>Well? Both, No, they both increased as overall health has

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<v Speaker 2>increased is observed in the health rich populations of the world,

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<v Speaker 2>and our upper income people in this country are a

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<v Speaker 2>health rich people. That women are living five years longer

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<v Speaker 2>than men.

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<v Speaker 1>Why is that?

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<v Speaker 2>We don't know?

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<v Speaker 1>So what are we doing that is helping progress aging

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<v Speaker 1>or what are we doing? What are we doing wrong?

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<v Speaker 1>Essentially when it comes to aging, well.

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<v Speaker 2>The major health concern across the country is people are

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<v Speaker 2>eating more energy rich foods than they need and not

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<v Speaker 2>getting enough exercise. I mean, that's simple lifestyle take home.

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<v Speaker 2>It's boring to say, but if you are even mildly

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<v Speaker 2>obese in midlife and you're not exercising, you're having a

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<v Speaker 2>shorter life expectancy.

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<v Speaker 1>And you mentioned something about sugar, and I know that

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<v Speaker 1>inflammatory foods and inflammation is part of your research. How

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<v Speaker 1>does inflammation affect the human body in terms of.

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<v Speaker 2>It, Well, all of the diseases of aging that we

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<v Speaker 2>worry about, blood vessel disease, obesity, Alzheimer's disease, cancer involve

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<v Speaker 2>the molecules of inflammatory responses. So it's deeply built into

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<v Speaker 2>our systems and in the processes of aging. So that's

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<v Speaker 2>just a fundamental fact. And the term inflammation comes from

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<v Speaker 2>ancient understanding of when you have a cut, it swells

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<v Speaker 2>up and it's red and it's hot and it causes pain. Well,

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<v Speaker 2>the basis for that are the inflammatory cytokines that come

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<v Speaker 2>in to help the body clean up the damaged tissue.

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<v Speaker 2>But responses to damaged tissue happen inflammatory responses in arterial disease,

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<v Speaker 2>in cancer and obesity, and an Alzheimer's disease. So there's

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<v Speaker 2>a shared core of inflammatory proteins that are at work

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<v Speaker 2>during aging from the day were born.

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<v Speaker 1>Flames on the side of my face, breathing breath, heaving breath.

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<v Speaker 1>Is there a way that we should be keeping inflammation at.

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<v Speaker 2>Bay, Well, that's part of the idea of exercise and diet,

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<v Speaker 2>which reduces the level of inflammation.

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<v Speaker 1>So move your bod and eat your greens. We fixed

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<v Speaker 1>it America. What's happening in other parts of the world

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<v Speaker 1>and in blue zones where longevity is higher? Side note,

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<v Speaker 1>what is a blue zone? So this came up in

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<v Speaker 1>the hematology episode and I only know that because I

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<v Speaker 1>searched my Google Drive for the word legomes. So a

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<v Speaker 1>blue zone is a place identified by author Dan Butner,

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<v Speaker 1>who has studied some scientists data and concluded that people

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<v Speaker 1>in five places live the longest okay now with Japan, Sodinia, Italy, Koya,

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<v Speaker 1>Costa Rica, Akaria, Greece, and a small posse of Seventh

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<v Speaker 1>Day Adventist in the La suburb of Low Molinda, California.

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<v Speaker 1>So what saith dan are commonalities among these groups? Apparently

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<v Speaker 1>they are prioritizing family above everything else. They smoke lass,

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<v Speaker 1>they eat a lot of veggies, are semi vegetarian. They

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<v Speaker 1>have constant moderate physical activity, and good social engagement which

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<v Speaker 1>does not mean likes and comments on Instagram, but like

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<v Speaker 1>hanging out with many generations in the community. Oh also lagoomes.

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<v Speaker 1>They eat a lot of lagomes. So does doctor Finch

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<v Speaker 1>think this is just a hello beans?

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<v Speaker 2>I'm not an enthusiastic of something unique about the blue zones.

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<v Speaker 2>I mean, there are peoples in all of the continents

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<v Speaker 2>who are a live a little longer than the average,

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<v Speaker 2>But most of my colleagues don't think there's anything unusual

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<v Speaker 2>about that. But if you look globally, lifespan has been

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<v Speaker 2>increasing as early life mortality decreased because of reducing infectious disease.

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<v Speaker 2>But pushing against that is the global epidemic of obesity,

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<v Speaker 2>the global sale of tobacco, which is huge in Africa

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<v Speaker 2>and in Asia, and the global issues of air pollution

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<v Speaker 2>which is getting worse in most of the world because

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<v Speaker 2>of fossil fuel consumption and global warming.

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<v Speaker 1>So now is the time when we dive into listener questions.

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<v Speaker 1>And also I mentioned that a portion of the podcast

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<v Speaker 1>income goes to a charity each week. This week, doctor

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<v Speaker 1>kleb Vinch chose curealz dot Org. Cureaalz dot org. It's

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<v Speaker 1>a nonprofit organization. They're dedicated to funding research with the

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<v Speaker 1>highest probability of preventing, slowing, or reversing Alzheimer's disease. Now

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<v Speaker 1>to date, they have raised over eighty six million dollars

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<v Speaker 1>to fund almost four hundred studies, and one hundred percent

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<v Speaker 1>of the funds go directly to research. So thank you

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<v Speaker 1>listeners for helping a lab by simpipets getting closer to

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<v Speaker 1>a cure for Alzheimer's. Okay, your listener questions. Now, I

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<v Speaker 1>didn't want to take up too much of the professor's time,

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<v Speaker 1>so I blazed through these questions without reading off a

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<v Speaker 1>bunch of names, but I will insert them when I can.

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<v Speaker 1>For example, the first questions here were asked by Liz Sundon,

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<v Speaker 1>Athena Balisterari, Dion Dabolow, Mike Manakowski, Anonymous, Bob, Anna Thompson,

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<v Speaker 1>Lucille Adinette which might be Audonay, I'm not sure, and

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<v Speaker 1>Taylor Munich I have some listener questions. Almost everyone is

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<v Speaker 1>just asking what's the secret to aging? Well, it seems

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<v Speaker 1>like diet, exercise, rest. Yeah. Do you think that there's

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<v Speaker 1>a maximum age that the human body can reach?

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<v Speaker 2>Well, the evidence is very clear. Almost nobody gets beyond

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<v Speaker 2>one hundred, and there's one person in the last thirty

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<v Speaker 2>years who reached over one point twenty, Jean Calman. But

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<v Speaker 2>there are more people getting to one hundred, but they

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<v Speaker 2>still in the last thirty years, she's the only one

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<v Speaker 2>to get beyond one hundred and twenty.

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<v Speaker 1>So sign note. Jean Coment lived to be one hundred

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<v Speaker 1>and twenty two, the oldest human on record, and she

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<v Speaker 1>was fond of wearing headphones and doing chair gymnastics, prayer,

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<v Speaker 1>fruit salad, and smoking well one Dunhill cigarette a day

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<v Speaker 1>and a small glass of port wine until she was

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<v Speaker 1>one hundred and seventeen, which proves that you're never too

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<v Speaker 1>old to quit a bad habit and turn over a

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<v Speaker 1>new leaf. So seriously, let's nope. The smokes folks love

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<v Speaker 1>old Dad. And what's the role of telomeres in aging?

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<v Speaker 2>We don't know. So telomers are at the ends of

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<v Speaker 2>chromosomes that get shortened during cell division. So some of

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<v Speaker 2>our cells do show shorter telomers in the immune system.

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<v Speaker 2>Its actual functional consequence is not clear.

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<v Speaker 1>So that's clearly hasn't been the secret to.

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<v Speaker 2>There's no secret. There's nothing in aging that is a secret.

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<v Speaker 1>Does he hate me again? Twists and turns, Listen to

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<v Speaker 1>the end. What's your favorite part about the field or

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<v Speaker 1>what you do?

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<v Speaker 2>Surprise?

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, still got a lot of it right.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, the complexities of biology are just awesome, amazing, and

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<v Speaker 2>every year there's a new level of mechanisms subcellularly or

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<v Speaker 2>in how organs talk to each other. It's just endlessly fascinating.

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<v Speaker 1>Any other things that you're excited about working on or

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<v Speaker 1>you think people should know about the aging process or

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<v Speaker 1>taking care of themselves, Well.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm collaborating with some anthropologists and a group of people

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<v Speaker 2>who live in the Bolivian Amazon, And what's fascinating about

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<v Speaker 2>these people that simon a they're living under conditions of

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<v Speaker 2>two hundred years ago without medication, and they're growing their

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<v Speaker 2>own food, and they all have high levels of infection.

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<v Speaker 2>Some of them get to age seventy or eighty. But

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<v Speaker 2>what's remarkable a small percent, ten percent, nobody lives much

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<v Speaker 2>over eighty. What's remarkable is that their levels of arterial

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<v Speaker 2>aging are twenty five years slower than in North America,

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<v Speaker 2>and they have almost no heart attacks or strokes. So

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<v Speaker 2>we're trying to understand what aspects of their environment, their diet,

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<v Speaker 2>and interaction with their genes might slow the arterial aging

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<v Speaker 2>to such a degree.

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<v Speaker 1>Do you think there's anything about the gut biome that's

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<v Speaker 1>at play there?

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<v Speaker 2>That's an open question. I don't know.

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<v Speaker 1>We'll see. I guess there's a surprise and a puzzle

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<v Speaker 1>waiting for you with that. Yep, thank you so much

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<v Speaker 1>for letting me ask you so many questions. Thank you

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<v Speaker 1>so much, good questions, he said, I had good questions, y'all.

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<v Speaker 1>He does not hate me. So after the interview was

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<v Speaker 1>over and the mics were off, doctor Finch said, I

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<v Speaker 1>asked great questions. I was doing a service for science

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<v Speaker 1>by making the podcast. I honestly almost joy webbed in

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<v Speaker 1>my car on the drive home. He's just super focused

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<v Speaker 1>and all science on the outside with a very warm

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<v Speaker 1>and curious heart. I love him. He's great and he

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<v Speaker 1>returned my email so fast. I'm a big fan. So

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<v Speaker 1>to learn more about doctor Caleb Finch's work, you can

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<v Speaker 1>go to alliwoard dot com slash ologies or follow the

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<v Speaker 1>links in the show notes to my site. I post

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<v Speaker 1>all kinds of info about his studies and other studies

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<v Speaker 1>mentioned in the episode. Again, his latest book, Global Air

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<v Speaker 1>Pollution in Aging Reading Smoke Signals. It's even available on Amazon,

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<v Speaker 1>as are many of his other books. Ologies is at

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<v Speaker 1>ologies on Twitter and Instagram. I'm at ali Ward with

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<v Speaker 1>one l on both and again we have more ssmologies episodes.

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<v Speaker 1>Go to aliward dot com slash smologies or just click

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<v Speaker 1>the link in the show notes and it'll get you

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<v Speaker 1>a ton of other shorter, kid friendly episodes. And in

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<v Speaker 1>the interest of keeping this small, we've put all of

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<v Speaker 1>the credits in the show notes. And if you stick

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<v Speaker 1>around to the very very very end, then I give

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<v Speaker 1>you a piece of advice. And this is a piece

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<v Speaker 1>of advice that I live by. I always keep a

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<v Speaker 1>dish towel in the car because you never know when

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<v Speaker 1>you're going to spill on yourself. You never know when

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<v Speaker 1>you might have to wrap a baby squirrel in something.

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<v Speaker 1>And having a dish towel in the car has saved

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<v Speaker 1>my pants so many times. Keep a dish towel a car,

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<v Speaker 1>put in the glove compartment, put it in the pocket

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<v Speaker 1>in the back of the seat. There will be a

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<v Speaker 1>time when you will be so happy that you have that.

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<v Speaker 1>Trust me, it's happened to me. Okay, until next time.

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<v Speaker 1>Smologites burbyelog hourglogies