We age in different ways

Age is a mystery that scientists have been trying to solve for many years. But a new perspective suggests thinking about aging as something chaotic and random. Scientists from the University of Southern California have found evidence that small, unpredictable events occur inside each of us, which greatly affect how quickly we age.

The discovery is related to research on C. elegans transparent worms, which are ideal objects for study because they are genetically identical and live in strictly controlled conditions. But even in such ideal conditions, the worms showed different rates of aging and life expectancy. So it’s not just about genes and the environment.

The fact is that the processes inside cells — for example, how proteins are folded or how the genetic apparatus works — can change randomly. These small biological “dice rolls” are called “stochastics”. They affect every cell and every molecule, determining how long and healthy an organism will live.

Scientists noticed that in some worms, the proteins folded correctly and the cells remained healthy, while in others, errors in the proteins led to faster aging. But the causes of such errors could not be found in genes or the environment — it was pure chance.

In addition, randomness plays a role even at the earliest stages of life — during brain formation or cell reproduction. Even reactions to stress, such as heat or infection, may differ markedly between twins and genetically identical worms.

This view helps to understand why even identical twins living together age differently and have 15-20% different life spans. And although lifestyle is important, that’s not the whole story.

The head of the study, Re Sanabria, says: “Biology is chaos in every cell and every molecule. And this hidden randomness may be one of the main factors explaining why we all age differently.”

The idea of “stochastic” opens a new era in the science of aging. Perhaps in the future, doctors will be able to measure the level of “biological randomness” of each person and create personal methods for the prevention and treatment of age-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease.

“This concept is not just a new word, it is a completely new way of understanding life and aging,” adds Sanabria. Indeed, the research forces us to take a fresh look at how our body works from the inside – where even coincidences play a crucial role.