Whether you want to admit it or not, age is an inevitability that will eventually catch up to us all. It can sometimes feel like life passes us by in the blink of an eye, and for some, it feels like only yesterday that they were frolicking with their friends in nursery. Still, as science continues to evolve and humans are statistically living longer, the ravages of age are creeping up on us.
While most of us (thankfully) won't reach the age of the world's oldest family, the average age of death in 2025 is 76.2 years for women and 70.9 years for men. Compare this to 48.4 and 44.5 in 1950, and you can see how far we've come in the past 70 years.
There were recent reports that semaglutide injections like Ozempic could potentially 'reverse aging', while biohacker Bryan Johnson has made a name for himself thanks to his controversial methods of trying to 'live forever'.
For most of us, we simply accept the fact that we're all aging, as well as the signs that come with it. Still, even NASA is looking into how we could live longer.
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In a new video from Wired, Dr. Jeffrey Laitman breaks down every way in which the body ages and the side effects we can expect as time ticks on.
Laitman explains how our cells and organs suffer from wear and tear over the years, and starting at the top of the body, he dives straight into the brain. Briefly discussing the likes of Alzheimer's, Laitman says our brain tends to lose 5% of its volume every decade from our 30s.
Ears are obviously impacted by hearing loss, expanding on the bizarre factoid that we have six years (three on each side). Our outer, inner, and middle ears all age, leading to presbycusis, where the bones in our ears encounter issues. Around 30, we start to lose certain high and low frequencies.
Eyes tend to be afflicted by presbyopia as we struggle to focus on nearby objects, while those who start to see 'floaters' in their eyes should get them checked out.
Your nose will typically lose smell receptors, skin starts to noticeably sag so we should remain moisturized, and hair thins due to our androgen hormone decreasing.
Some will experience tooth decay, their voice weakens because of the larynx, and heart problems start to occur in their 50s. The arteries might harden, muscles lose oxygen, and we lack collateral flow.
Women face issues with ovarian cancer, whereas men are prone to prostate cancer. Arthritis is caused by our joints losing articular cartilage, which can't be replaced. Although these problems can start in your 30s or 40s, Laitman reiterated that those who've 'abused' their joints will run into problems earlier than most.
He concludes by saying that our feet are one of the most under-appreciated parts of aging. It's important to monitor blood flow and keep an eye on your circulation to the feet, adding: "These are key puppies if we are to remain healthy and alive."
Ultimately, Laitman says things change, and we have to get used to it. Referring to wisdom coming with age, he ends the video by saying: "I'll trade in my knee for the hug of one of my granddaughters any day."