Evolution of the Human Lifespan

Catalog description

Comparative approach to the study of the evolution of life history and aging, especially as a window to better understanding human and primate patterns of life history and senescence. Topics include life history theory, major evolutionary explanations for variation in lifespan, antiquity of human longevity, hypothesized molecular mechanisms of aging, demography, evolutionary medicine, and comparative physiology of aging, including reproductive senescence. Over the semester, students discuss how societal views on aging, including treating aging as a disease, have impacted the types of age-related research that is pursued as well as how it is funded. Recommended prerequisite: Evolutionary Anthropology 101 or Biology 202.