‘We Are Not Programmed to Die,’ Says Nobel Laureate Venki Ramakrishnan
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Summary
Venkatraman Ramakrishnan is a world-renowned scientist in structural biology and cellular processes related to ageing and death.
He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2009 for his work on the ribosome.
In addition to his scientific work, he has written books on the structure of the ribosome and the reasons why we die.
In a recent interview, Ramakrishnan highlighted the distinction between death and cell death, and the non-programmatic nature of death.
While ageing and death are not programmed by our genes, they are a result of the expenditure of resources to keep organisms functioning and repairing them versus using resources for growth and reproduction.
Despite our desire to live longer, he highlights the potential stagnant nature of society if people live longer but have no desire to reproduction, and the injection of new ideas that younger generations bring.
Finally, he remarks on the need to distinguish between scientific fact and pseudo-science in the quest to extend life.
