ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Timeline of senescence research

Senescence research is the study of growing older and the changes to our minds, bodies, and lives that go along with that. It can include anything from looking at how our bodies change as we age to understanding how our minds work differently.

The timeline of senescence research begins thousands of years ago with philosophers, such as Aristotle and Plato, asking deep questions about how humans age and ways that we may be able to stay healthy and active with age. Around the 1800s, scientists began to develop theories about why we age by looking for cellular and molecular changes as we get older.

In the 1900s, researchers started to study the aging process more closely, looking at genetic and environmental factors as well as lifestyle choices that can affect how people age. Over the last couple of decades, we’ve seen a dramatic increase in the amount of research being done and the number of scientific advancements being made.

More and more information is being discovered about how different factors can influence the aging process, such as diet, exercise, and genetics, as well as what treatments or medications may be beneficial to those who are aging. And with the help of technology, scientists are able to better understand how the body works, what happens to it as we age, and how we can improve our lives as we age.