Why We Die
Autor Venki Ramakrishnanen Limba Engleză Paperback – 19 mar 2024
'Ramakrishnan's writing is so honest, lucid and engaging' - Siddhartha Mukherjee
The knowledge of death is so terrifying that we live most of our lives in denial of it. Our fear of death has underpinned our religions, inspired our cultures, and also driven our science. Today we are living through a revolution in biology. Giant strides are being made in our understanding of why we age and die, and why some species live longer than others. Immortality, once a faint hope, has never been more within our grasp.
Here, Nobel Prize-winning biologist Venki Ramakrishnan offers a definitive look at why we die - and whether we can do anything about it. Covering the recent breakthroughs in scientific research, he examines the cutting edge of efforts to extend lifespan by altering our natural biology and how this raises profound questions. Although we might not like it, might death might serve a necessary biological purpose? And what are the social and ethical costs of attempting to live forever? As science advances, we have much to gain. But might we also have much to lose?
Why We Die is a narrative of uncommon insight and beauty from one of our leading public intellectuals.
| Toate formatele și edițiile | Preț | Express |
|---|---|---|
| Paperback (2) | 54.29 lei 3-5 săpt. | +31.15 lei 10-14 zile |
| Hodder & Stoughton – 6 mar 2025 | 54.29 lei 3-5 săpt. | +31.15 lei 10-14 zile |
| Harpercollins – 18 feb 2025 | 92.30 lei 6-8 săpt. | |
| Hardback (1) | 179.98 lei 3-5 săpt. | +33.25 lei 10-14 zile |
| Harper Collins Publ. USA – 19 mar 2024 | 179.98 lei 3-5 săpt. | +33.25 lei 10-14 zile |
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Specificații
ISBN-13: 9781529369250
ISBN-10: 1529369258
Pagini: 320
Dimensiuni: 152 x 233 x 26 mm
Greutate: 0.41 kg
Editura: HODDER AND STOUGHTON LTD
Colecția Hodder Press
ISBN-10: 1529369258
Pagini: 320
Dimensiuni: 152 x 233 x 26 mm
Greutate: 0.41 kg
Editura: HODDER AND STOUGHTON LTD
Colecția Hodder Press
Descriere
Descriere de la o altă ediție sau format:
'Enthralling and packed with insights.' - BILL BRYSON
'A must-read.' - STEPHEN FRY
'Spectacular.' - CHRIS VAN TULLEKEN
SHORTLISTED FOR THE ROYAL SOCIETY SCIENCE BOOK PRIZE
A SUNDAY TIMES AND NEW SCIENTIST BOOK OF THE YEAR AND A FINANCIAL TIMES BEST READ
__________________
We are living through an exciting revolution in biology. Giant strides are being made in our understanding of why we age, and why some species live longer than others. Will we soon be able to cheat disease and death and live for a very long time, possibly many times our current lifespan?
Why We Die shares the latest scientific understanding of what causes ageing and how we might prevent it. Ramakrishnan examines the cutting-edge efforts to extend the human lifespan by altering our natural biology, raising profound questions and unravelling mind-bending answers along the way. Does death serve a necessary biological purpose? What will it mean for us all if some people start living longer? And how can we increase our chances of living long, healthy and fulfilled lives?
'An incredible journey.' - SIDDHARTHA MUKHERJEE
'Joyfully alive' - STEVE BRUSATTE
'Scientists do not come much more eminent than Venki Ramakrishnan... wonderfully readable... fascinating.' FINANCIAL TIMES
*As heard on BBC Radio 4 Start the Week*
'Enthralling and packed with insights.' - BILL BRYSON
'A must-read.' - STEPHEN FRY
'Spectacular.' - CHRIS VAN TULLEKEN
SHORTLISTED FOR THE ROYAL SOCIETY SCIENCE BOOK PRIZE
A SUNDAY TIMES AND NEW SCIENTIST BOOK OF THE YEAR AND A FINANCIAL TIMES BEST READ
How can science help us live better and longer? A groundbreaking exploration of longevity from Nobel Prize-winning biologist Venki Ramakrishnan
__________________
We are living through an exciting revolution in biology. Giant strides are being made in our understanding of why we age, and why some species live longer than others. Will we soon be able to cheat disease and death and live for a very long time, possibly many times our current lifespan?
Why We Die shares the latest scientific understanding of what causes ageing and how we might prevent it. Ramakrishnan examines the cutting-edge efforts to extend the human lifespan by altering our natural biology, raising profound questions and unravelling mind-bending answers along the way. Does death serve a necessary biological purpose? What will it mean for us all if some people start living longer? And how can we increase our chances of living long, healthy and fulfilled lives?
'An incredible journey.' - SIDDHARTHA MUKHERJEE
'Joyfully alive' - STEVE BRUSATTE
'Scientists do not come much more eminent than Venki Ramakrishnan... wonderfully readable... fascinating.' FINANCIAL TIMES
*As heard on BBC Radio 4 Start the Week*
Recenzii
'I have so enjoyed reading this spectacular book - it's full of hope and fun and extraordinary research. It beautifully answers the question at the core of every life. Understanding why we must die helps us understand how we must live. It changed my perspective on the whole living world but most of all myself and the time I have left.'
"Combines science, politics, memoir and medicine with ease, grace and lucidity. An incredible journey.'
"Enthralling and eminently accessible. ... [Ramakrishnan] probes the essential ethical question that runs through it all. Even if we could live forever, should we?"
"Ramakrishnan is a fine writer, so readers will enjoy his expert if intensely detailed overview of genetics and evolution as it applies to ageing. ... Fascinating. ... An illuminating account of the science of life extension with a more critical eye than most."
"[Ramakrishnan] has a knack for making biology accessible, and he brings a searching philosophical sensibility when considering the wisdom of seeking to extend life. ... The result is a strikingly pensive exploration of how bodies decline and whether efforts to slow that process are worth the cost."
"Why We Die is a candid, wide-ranging, and hype-free survey of the latest in longevity research, from tortoises to telomeres. With his delightful gift for storytelling, Venki Ramakrishnan breathes life into the biology of death. If you want to know what science tells us about lifespan, Why We Die is the only book you need."
'A wide-ranging look at the changes that take place inside our cells as we age, the prospects for being able to prevent them, and the possible consequences of doing that. An engrossing read.'
'Why We Die brilliantly captures the essentials of current understanding of the aging process. This is an enjoyable romp through molecular and cell biology-and thought-provoking about ethical issues.'
'Highly accessible . . . poetic . . . Throughout this authoritative book there is a sense of our bodies as complex systems in delicate balance - a balance we still barely understand.'
Why We Die is both an engaging, accessible overview of the science of ageing and a barbed takedown of the immortality crowd. It is also a love letter to our fleeting existence... By the end, one realises that Why We Die is not an attempt to solve the enigma of mortality but an exhortation to dine well during our brief appearance at the feast of life.
Ramakrishnan weaves a story that illuminates this existential topic from so many angles - brilliant!
'The timely, illuminating book Why We Die by 2009 chemistry Nobel co-laureate Venki Ramakrishnan explains the science - and, importantly, separates fact from fiction...Ramakrishnan explains these fundamental processes of ageing in a laudably comprehensible, accessible manner... Why We Die is peppered with fascinating anecdotes, peculiar personalities and valuable historical perspectives, giving it an extra dimension beyond a summary of the state of the art... This book could save a lot of money for investors in anti-ageing companies and for billionaires who, instead of wasting their capital on chasing non-existing elixirs of eternal life for personal benefit, could help humanity by supporting treatments that truly show promise.'
"Combines science, politics, memoir and medicine with ease, grace and lucidity. An incredible journey.'
"Enthralling and eminently accessible. ... [Ramakrishnan] probes the essential ethical question that runs through it all. Even if we could live forever, should we?"
"Ramakrishnan is a fine writer, so readers will enjoy his expert if intensely detailed overview of genetics and evolution as it applies to ageing. ... Fascinating. ... An illuminating account of the science of life extension with a more critical eye than most."
"[Ramakrishnan] has a knack for making biology accessible, and he brings a searching philosophical sensibility when considering the wisdom of seeking to extend life. ... The result is a strikingly pensive exploration of how bodies decline and whether efforts to slow that process are worth the cost."
"Why We Die is a candid, wide-ranging, and hype-free survey of the latest in longevity research, from tortoises to telomeres. With his delightful gift for storytelling, Venki Ramakrishnan breathes life into the biology of death. If you want to know what science tells us about lifespan, Why We Die is the only book you need."
'A wide-ranging look at the changes that take place inside our cells as we age, the prospects for being able to prevent them, and the possible consequences of doing that. An engrossing read.'
'Why We Die brilliantly captures the essentials of current understanding of the aging process. This is an enjoyable romp through molecular and cell biology-and thought-provoking about ethical issues.'
'Highly accessible . . . poetic . . . Throughout this authoritative book there is a sense of our bodies as complex systems in delicate balance - a balance we still barely understand.'
Why We Die is both an engaging, accessible overview of the science of ageing and a barbed takedown of the immortality crowd. It is also a love letter to our fleeting existence... By the end, one realises that Why We Die is not an attempt to solve the enigma of mortality but an exhortation to dine well during our brief appearance at the feast of life.
Ramakrishnan weaves a story that illuminates this existential topic from so many angles - brilliant!
'The timely, illuminating book Why We Die by 2009 chemistry Nobel co-laureate Venki Ramakrishnan explains the science - and, importantly, separates fact from fiction...Ramakrishnan explains these fundamental processes of ageing in a laudably comprehensible, accessible manner... Why We Die is peppered with fascinating anecdotes, peculiar personalities and valuable historical perspectives, giving it an extra dimension beyond a summary of the state of the art... This book could save a lot of money for investors in anti-ageing companies and for billionaires who, instead of wasting their capital on chasing non-existing elixirs of eternal life for personal benefit, could help humanity by supporting treatments that truly show promise.'
Notă biografică
Venki Ramakrishnan shared the 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for uncovering the structure of the ribosome. He leads a research team at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, England. From 2015 to 2020, he served as president of the Royal Society, one of the world's oldest scientific organizations. He is the author of the frank scientific memoir Gene Machine.