A review by ryner
The Long and the Short of It: The Science of Life Span and Aging by Jonathan Silvertown

3.0

Is aging inevitable? Why do we age and some other types of life do not (or at least do not appear to)? Why does the rate of aging differ among various animals? Pulling together fascinating data from research both recent and historical, Jonathan Silvertown attempts to answer these and many other questions that have been on the minds of humankind, the only creature conscious of our own mortality.

There is a surprising amount of data out there regarding aging and life spans, and although the bulk of this work is describing research and various studies, it is both well-organized and captivating. However, I kept feeling like it might have been fleshed out more; the entire book is a mere 194 pages, 38 of which are comprised of the appendix and bibliography and notes. My thoughts consistently went to, "Wow, that's so cool. What else can you tell me?"