Free (ADE-DRM ePub) Longevity Seekers [Anti-Aging Research Science Business History]

[ATDrake]

The Longevity Seekers: Science, Business & the Fountain of Youth by Ted Anton, a professor of English who's also a science writer, is his in-depth exploration of the personalities and technologies and profit-seeking impetus behind the research into anti-aging discoveries, free courtesy of the University of Chicago Press.

This is their selected Free Book of the Month for March and is very accessibly written for a general audience, in a kind of pop science narrative thriller-ish style focusing more on the people involved and how they approached various challenges, but with in a way that also explains the more technical things and how they work and why they were important without dumbing them down, and looks like a very nifty read.

Currently free throughout the month of March directly @ the university's dedicated promo page (ADE-DRM ePub available worldwide in return for your valid email address).

And this has been the selected 3rd (non-repeat) free ebook thread of the day.

It had some very tough competition from the vintage post-apocalyptic sci-fi classic Brackett novel, but this is one I haven't read which looks to be very informative about topics that are highly Relevant To My Interests™ since I'm a sucker for edutainment about the intersection of science and commerce and research and the cooperations and conflicts between them and the ensuing actual and potential social impacts.

Enjoy!

Description
People have searched for the fountain of youth everywhere from Bimini to St. Augustine. But for a steadfast group of scientists, the secret to a long life lies elsewhere: in the lowly lab worm. By suppressing the function of just a few key genes, these scientists were able to lengthen worms’ lifespans up to tenfold, while also controlling the onset of many of the physical problems that beset old age. As the global population ages, the potential impact of this discovery on society is vast—as is the potential for profit.

With The Longevity Seekers, science writer Ted Anton takes readers inside this tale that began with worms and branched out to snare innovative minds from California to Crete, investments from big biotech, and endorsements from TV personalities like Oprah and Dr. Oz. Some of the research was remarkable, such as the discovery of an enzyme in humans that stops cells from aging. And some, like an oft-cited study touting the compound resveratrol, found in red wine—proved highly controversial, igniting a science war over truth, credit, and potential profit. As the pace of discovery accelerated, so too did powerful personal rivalries and public fascination, driven by the hope that a longer, healthier life was right around the corner. Anton has spent years interviewing and working with the scientists at the frontier of longevity science, and this book offers a behind-the-scenes look at the state-of-the-art research and the impact it might have on global public health, society, and even our friends and family.

With spectacular science and an unforgettable cast of characters, The Longevity Seekers has all the elements of a great story and sheds light on discoveriesthat could fundamentally reshape human life.

[ATDrake]

Just a reminder that this will probably be the last day to pick up the freebie if you haven't already.