A fundamental mystery of human biology

This week: The question of why we age is more complicated than you might think; science is finally learning what happens during menopause; the potential link between a debilitating condition and COVID vaccines; the average human body temperature isn’t what it used to be.

PHOTOGRAPH BY GIANLUCA COLLA, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION

Why do we age? The answer still eludes scientists.

What causes the body to slow down, its cells to stop dividing, and its organs to fall prey to increasing illness and disability? No one has definitive answers to these questions, but theories can be grouped into two camps: gradual damage over time and genetic programming. Whatever the cause, aging often can be mitigated through lifestyle choices.

THE BENEFITS OF AGING

Can aging be cured? Scientists are giving it a try +

IMAGE BY JING-DONG JACKIE HAN, PEKING UNIVERSITY

How old are you, really? The answer is written on your face.

Your biological age reflects your physical health and can differ from your actual age by years. A new tool that calculates that number “could be a wake-up call.”

READING YOUR FACE

PHOTOGRAPH BY ELIZABETH DALZIEL

What happens during menopause? Science is finally piecing it together.

All women who reach their 50s inevitably pass through menopause. Experts share the latest science on the various stages, symptoms—from hot flashes to vaginal changes—and effective treatments.

THE BEST WAYS TO COPE

More on menopause and fertility:

•

Is it possible to cure hot flashes? We may be getting closer.

•

Does a woman’s fertility really drop off at age 35?

•

Sperm counts worldwide are plummeting faster than we thought

‘A JAIL INSIDE MY HEAD’

PHOTOGRAPH BY ALLISON SHELLEY, THE WASHINGTON POST/GETTY IMAGES

COVID is known to trigger tinnitus. Could the vaccines do the same? “It sounded like somebody took a whistle and out of nowhere started blowing it in my ear, and it has never gone away,” says one sufferer. While the CDC hasn’t found a link between the vaccines and hundreds of new cases of the debilitating condition, some scientists say it must do more to investigate.

WHAT THE DATA SHOW

Keep reading:

•

Vaccine complications are rare, but can shatter lives. Why is it so hard to compensate people?

•

How multiple COVID infections increase your risk of serious long-term problems

IS MICRODOSING GOOD FOR YOU?

PHOTOGRAPH BY MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER BROWN

In a quest to enhance well-being, or diminish depression and other psychological demons, many people are turning to tiny doses of drugs like psilocybin, LSD, and ayahuasca. But is there scientific evidence to support this approach?

WHAT THE SCIENCE SAYS

A PSYCHEDELIC SURPRISE: Potent mushrooms may be thriving in your local garden +

HEALTH NEWS YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED

PHOTOGRAPH BY GILES PRICE, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION

What’s the average human body temperature? The common belief that human bodies run at 98.6°F (37°C) appears to be wrong—and some evidence suggests our temperatures have decreased over time.

ARE WE COOLING DOWN?

The overlooked toll of drinking alcohol while pregnant

The science behind seasonal depression

Could monoclonal antibodies be the solution to chronic pain—and the opioid crisis?

The long-term health consequences of ultra-processed foods

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A fundamental mystery of human biology

A fundamental mystery of human biology

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