For the microscopic lab worm C. elegans, life equates to just a few short weeks on Earth. The bowhead whale, on the other hand, can live over two hundred years. Why are these lifespans so different? And what does it really mean to 'age' anyway? Joao Pedro de Magalhaes explains why the pace of aging varies greatly across animals. [Directed by Sharon Colman, narrated by Addison Anderson, music by Peter Gosling]. 

Joao Pedro de Magalhaes: Why do animals have such different lifespans?

Why do animals have such different lifespans?

From C. elegans' weeks to Greenland sharks' centuries, lifespan diversity mirrors evolution's complexity and survival strategies.

Lifespan varies across species due to factors like size, environment, and genetic responses to threats, shaping evolutionary paths.

Humans, not the longest-lived, excel in extending life expectancy through controlling factors like environment and nutrition.