3 ms·
> Is there a beneficial reason for telomeres shortening with time? So that people die instead of reproducing when they're old
by 8note 11y ago
> Is there a beneficial reason for telomeres shortening with time?
So that people die instead of reproducing when they're old
- nanofortnight 11y agoIt is also the final defense against unrestrained cell divison; a natural protection against diseases such as cancer.
- estefan 11y agoThere were cultures where the oldest men in the tribe got exclusivity over the teenage girls to reproduce with. Also, since men can reproduce in old age, that sounds questionable to me.
- dsjoerg 11y agoSo that people die when they're no longer reproductively viable / relevant, rather than using up valuable resources. Wouldn't telomere shortening have some selection-pressure advantage?