• Question: Why do we die? (Not how, e.g illnesses or old age. WHY?)

    Asked by cassiemason to Alastair, Emma, Hywel, Keith, Vicki on 18 Jun 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Alastair Sloan

      Alastair Sloan answered on 17 Jun 2010:

      Excellent question Cassie

      We die because the our energy runs out and we age! Our cells can no longer renew themselves and repair little bits of damage and as our cells and tissue get older they are more susceptible to disease. Unless you do have a disease or die through an accident, the ageing process causes us to die.

    • Photo: Keith Brain

      Keith Brain answered on 17 Jun 2010:

      Nice question.

      Blame evolution! Without death, birth would stop (because otherwise there would be overpopulation.

      Without birth, we would be unable to change the suitability of the population to changing environmental conditions. This means that, for example, in the presence of a new predator (like a flesheating yeast) the population would be vulnerable, because with no reproduction there is no way of building up a population of people who are resistant. So, error-prone reproduction is necessary for new mutations to develop which might every now and again be beneficial.

      Also, in the presence of slowly changing environments, survival and reproduction of those individuals best suited to the new conditions will mean that the population as a whole gets fitter (in the sense that they are more able to cope with the environment).

      So, without death there is no birth. Without birth, the population can’t cope with changing environments.

    • Photo: Vicki Stevenson

      Vicki Stevenson answered on 17 Jun 2010:

      Asking why we die rather than how we die implies that someone makes a decision. I think we just wear out.
      Medical advances over the last few decades have been amazing and people can now survive illnesses and accidents which they wouldn’t have previously, but i don’t think we’ll ever reach a point where death can be cheated forever.

    • Photo: Emma Carter

      Emma Carter answered on 18 Jun 2010:

      A very good question but not one that science can fully answer. It can suggest theories, as can religion – so you have to look at the theories and then look at the evidence that supports or challenges those theories – and make your own mind up.

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