Tony Benjamin Csoka wrote:
> I agree that telomerase might not be the "immortality gene" but could you
> provide a reference to support your statement that Galapogos tortoises
> don't appear to age. I thought they just had a long lifespan?
> Thanks.
"How and Why We Age" by Leonard Hayflick, page 21 of the first edition.
He claims that animals such as some fish, amphibians, and reptiles (like
the Galapagos tortoise) appear not to age -- they don't age at all or
age so slowly that we are not capable of determining it.
Erik wrote on the same subject (and my reply also applies to what Tony
B. Csoka wrote):
> Maybe it would be helpful to create a detailed table/overview of species
> which do not age, including their habitat. Parallels?
It's a good idea, but I would focus on their evolutionary path rather on
their habitats. For example, do you know that mammals can't produce
ascorbic acid (a powerful anti-oxidant)? Little mistakes like that might
be behind aging! And did you know that the Galapagos Tortoise's cells
have more anti-oxidants than our cells (also taken from Hayflick's
book)? There are many other interesting phenomenons, I'm actually trying
to make a list of them (will be probably ready in a couple of months).
The only site I know in the Internet that mentions non-aging species
with some detail is my own. The URL is:
http://homepage.esoterica.pt/~jpnitya/science/nature.htm
See ya,
--
Hasta la vista...
"Life's too short to cry, long enough to try." - Kai Hansen
Reason's Triumph at: http://homepage.esoterica.pt/~jpnitya/