Globally, population ageing is accelerating, i.e., the share of older persons in the population is increasing. The population ageing can have considerable impacts on economic growth, energy use and related carbon emissions, affecting sustainable development. A few studies have analyzed the issue by econometric methods, decomposition and CGE modeling. To facilitate understanding of the simulated...

Problem: Genetic and demographic studies suggest that ageing is an adaptive genetic program, but population genetic analysis indicates that the benefit of ageing to the group is too slow and too diffuse to offset its individual cost. Premise: Demographic homeostasis is a major target of natural selection at the group level, with a strength that can compete with the imperative to higher individu...

Mutations in the gene Klotho lead to premature ageing in mice. Recent work on human genetic variation has identified an association between a particular allele of Klotho and human lifespan. A harbinger of things to come, this work illustrates the power and growth potential for association studies of human ageing.