Ideas worth spreading

Experiments that hint of longer lives

1,119,937 views | Cynthia Kenyon • TEDGlobal 2011

What controls aging? Biochemist Cynthia Kenyon has found a simple genetic mutation that can double the lifespan of a simple worm, C. elegans. The lessons from that discovery, and others, are pointing to how we might one day significantly extend youthful human life.

What controls aging? Biochemist Cynthia Kenyon has found a simple genetic mutation that can double the lifespan of a simple worm, C. elegans. The lessons from that discovery, and others, are pointing to how we might one day significantly extend youthful human life.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

About the speaker

Cynthia Kenyon

Biochemist, geneticist

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When it comes to aging well, having “good genes” (or rather, mutant ones) is key, says Cynthia Kenyon. She unlocked the genetic secret of longevity in roundworms — and now she’s working to do the same for humans.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.