7 months ago
Nobel Laureate Discusses Science of Ageing
Dr. Venki Ramakrishnan, a Nobel Prize winner, gave a talk about why we age and how to live better.
He said that ageing is not simple and there's no one thing that causes it or can cure it.
He talked about how important it is to live a healthy life with good habits like sleeping well, eating right, and staying active.
He also said that just living longer isn't as important as living well.
He explained that ageing is affected by many things, not just our genes.
He encouraged people to focus on reducing suffering and making sure that longer lives are worth living.
Dr. Venki Ramakrishnan discussed the complexities of ageing at the India Science Festival in Pune.
He emphasized that ageing is not a single problem with a single cure.
Ramakrishnan advised focusing on health span—years lived in good health—over longevity.
He recommended simple, evidence-based practices like adequate sleep, sensible diet, and regular physical activity for healthy ageing.
The lecture highlighted that social and economic conditions significantly influence ageing alongside biological factors.
- Who
- Dr. Venki Ramakrishnan, Nobel laureate and biologist
- What
- Lecture on the science of ageing and the quest for immortality
- Where
- IISER Pune
- When
- During the India Science Festival at IISER Pune
- Why
- To discuss the complexities of ageing and the importance of health span
Key facts
- Speaker
- Dr. Venki Ramakrishnan
- Event
- India Science Festival at IISER Pune
- Lecture Title
- Why We Die: The New Science of Ageing and the Quest for Immortality
- Key Message
- Ageing is complex, no single cure exists
- Health Span
- Years lived in good health
- Advice for Healthy Ageing
- Adequate sleep, sensible diet, regular physical activity, early detection of common metabolic disorders, evidence-based cancer screening, social engagement, and a sense of purpose
- Anti-Aging Market
- Rapidly growing, but no convincing evidence of life extension
Quotes
Dr. Venki Ramakrishnan
Nobel laureate and eminent biologist
“Adequate sleep, sensible diet, regular physical activity, early detection of common metabolic disorders, evidence-based cancer screening, social engagement and a sense of purpose consistently do more for health span than any unproven anti-aging product.”
indianexpress.com
“There is no master ageing gene, no universal biological clock that can simply be reset. Over the years, many hopeful interventions have emerged. Early studies linked mitochondrial damage and oxidative stress to cognitive decline in aging animals. Certain dietary supplements improved biochemical markers and even memory in rodents. Modern biology has given us extraordinary insight into how life works at the molecular level. We can sequence genomes, reprogram cells, and manipulate metabolism with remarkable precision. Yet aging remains stubbornly resistant to simple explanations or solutions.”
indianexpress.com
Dr. K M Paknikar
Noted scientist and one of the first recipients of the Prime Minister Professorship
“The temptation to offer a neat answer.”
indianexpress.com
“It did not answer why we die. Instead, it showed why that question has no simple answer and why chasing immortality may be the wrong goal altogether.”
indianexpress.com
