Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Life Sciences Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

SelectedWorks

2010

Biology

Formicidae

Articles 1 - 1 of 1

Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

What Are Social Insects Telling Us About Aging?, Joel D. Parker Jan 2010

What Are Social Insects Telling Us About Aging?, Joel D. Parker

Joel D Parker

Abstract: Research on aging in social insects has progressed much more than has been generally acknowledged. Here I review what I think are the four greatest contributions of social insect work to the field of aging research with the hope of highlighting the truly exciting discoveries being made. These include the reversal of the fecundity / lifespan and size / lifespan trade-offs due to the evolution of sociality, that social environment can reverse the effects of aging, the contribution of social insect work to the overturning of the free radical theory of aging, and the discovery of vitellogenin as an …