Although I understand the "how" of refracted sunlight creating rainbows and the "how" of telomere erosion in stem cells causing aging, I don't yet grasp the whys.
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Rainbows and Aging- I know the how, but not the why

I was thinking today that I wanted to understand rainbows so I watched this video:

and then this video:

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And voila! It all seems to make sense to me now.

What I like about the first explanation is how technical it is. The second is more visual. I think both those reasons were also why my plainly-written and heavily illustrated book, Telomere Timebombs: Defusing the Terror of Aging, is the number one book on Amazon in the category of telomeres.

Everything is explained very clearly and logically in my book as is evidenced by the 72% five star ratings and reviews like this:

A subject, (Telomeres,) that is relatively unknown, and is not easy to understand,
is explained clearly and thoroughly, with great expertise. It opens a window of
knowledge on a subject that could benefit the health, and possibly add a longer life to individuals as they age

Although I understand the “how” of refracted sunlight creating rainbows and the “how” of telomere erosion in stem cells causing aging, I don’t yet grasp the whys.  Why don’t we see rainbows more often?  Why don’t we have a stronger selection for higher telomerase activity?  The more I understand, the more interesting the questions become.

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P.S.  If you recall, there may be a link between rainbows and aging. According to the Bible, Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of Knowledge (of good and evil) and had to leave lest they eat from the second Tree of (eternal) Life.

And the LORD God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.     Genesis 3:22

It appears that before the great flood, people lived up to 400 years on average. Perhaps God decided than men with longer lives were just into selfish acts and that a genetic bottleneck (mass extinction) was needed.  The rainbow was God’s promise to not do it again with a mass extinction; perhaps he chose genetic re-engineering instead by decreasing telomerase activity.

After the Tower of Babel, the age was reset to the 200s. Perhaps the ones in charge haven’t been pleased with our moral progress and that is why it further degraded to 70-80 years.

Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.   Psalm 90:10

3 thoughts on “Rainbows and Aging- I know the how, but not the why”

  1. Jack Nichols

    Dysfunctional cells from genetic mutations caused by chromosomes missing telomeres not sufficient for various youth levels? Maybe throw in some free radical denigration, but dna at conception has undergone eons of denigration and duplication yet apparently completely ameliorated unless some unusual and obvious environmental intervention. i.e. radiation, chemical. etc. present preconception meiosis, conception, or subsequent development. Conception seems to reset the atomic prescript software(sequential chemical cascades for cell structure development, integration, and function).

    Lack of telomerase chemical trip for normal cell division to produce telomerase and resulting telomere loss per duplication seems logical for telomere deprivation. The chemical trip only occurs during more serious cell loss with need for massive numbers of copies. The molecular machinery for telomere production(and necessary absolution after telomere addition), although extremely small, is not simple especially if activated for each cell division with the numbers required organism wide. Would be very resource demanding with increased opportunity for failed cessation abundant.

    Compromised(aged) cells appear to require less energy and atomic resources to produce and function as compared to a robust youthful cell. Maybe initiated or result of availability. Probably result.

    Recent research and living testament results seem to support resolution of organ cell tissue specific atomic starvation produces dramatic reversal of organ performance deficiency. Telomere elongation also indicates similar results. If dysfunctional cell resolution is not sufficient to produce some dramatic anti aging responses, then would suspect telomere epigenetic, DNA protein sheaths, overlays, interaction or connection.

  2. Jack Nichols

    Genetic duplication and transcription seem to be extremely resilient especially when optimal atomic cell/tissue requirements are fully met. Pretty demanding as is continued environmental and physiological influences are continuous.

    A consideration that seems paramount relates to food. Non of which is for human atomic specific consumption on a general organism needs basis. Even less sufficient for cell organelly, cell, tissue, organ, and system optimum atomic nutritional needs fulfillment. These deficiencies and their results appear cumulative. The supplements, meds, etc. are attempts to ameliorate the deficiencies and results.

  3. Pingback: Chromosome 2- the “smoking gun” of evolution (or intelligent design?) « Lokahi Guru

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