{"id":143169,"date":"2025-04-02T11:40:36","date_gmt":"2025-04-02T15:40:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=143169"},"modified":"2025-04-04T11:56:20","modified_gmt":"2025-04-04T15:56:20","slug":"what-is-planned-obsolescence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/what-is-planned-obsolescence\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is Planned Obsolescence? Biotech Researcher Explains"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Are human bodies hardwired to break down as they age? What is planned obsolescence?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In his book <em>Jellyfish Age Backwards, <\/em>Nicklas Brendborg discusses two scientific theories that explain <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/human-aging\/\">why humans age<\/a> in the way that they do; one of those theories is planned obsolescence. Essentially, this theory states that aging is programmed into our genes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep reading for a deeper look into this fascinating theory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-aging-as-planned-obsolescence\"><strong>Aging as \u201cPlanned Obsolescence\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Brendborg says it\u2019s possible that aging isn\u2019t the result of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/what-is-random-mutation\/\">random mutations<\/a>. He discusses a theory called &#8220;planned obsolescence,&#8221; which holds that we\u2019re genetically hardwired to age and die. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-dna-methylation-causes-the-body-to-break-down\">DNA Methylation Causes the Body to Break Down<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>What is planned obsolescence? This is the theory that aging is programmed into our genes emerged from the discovery of <em>methylation<\/em>: the process of molecules called methyl groups accumulating in DNA over time. These methyl groups attach to the <em>epigenome<\/em>\u2014the parts of the DNA next to genes\u2014and interfere with those genes\u2019 functions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: To better explain how methylation causes problems similar to mutations, let\u2019s briefly discuss how DNA works. Your DNA contains numerous, relatively small segments called genes. Each of those genes contains <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/scitable\/topicpage\/translation-dna-to-mrna-to-protein-393\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">instructions for creating a particular protein<\/a>, which your body then uses for countless different functions. Methyl groups attaching to the DNA can cause those instructions to become garbled or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/journals\/genetics\/articles\/10.3389\/fgene.2019.00107\/full#:~:text=Generally%2C%20DNA%20methylation%20in%20regions%20near%20the%20transcription%20start%20site%20(TSS)%20is%20closely%20associated%20the%20suppression%20of%20gene%20expression\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">prevent them from being \u201cread\u201d in the first place<\/a>. Therefore, even though the DNA within each gene may be unchanged, the effect is the same as if it had mutated to produce a different protein or no protein at all.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Notably, researchers have found that methylation follows predictable patterns across different tissue types and even among some different species. It\u2019s much too consistent to be the result of random DNA damage, which is why Brendborg says humans may be genetically programmed to age: <strong>The consistency of the pattern suggests that DNA methylation<\/strong> <strong>is a natural part of our life cycle, just like growing from an infant to an adult.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This discovery led to the creation of a test called the <em>epigenetic clock<\/em>, which can estimate the age of an organism by measuring the degree of methylation in its DNA. Furthermore, studies have shown that people whose epigenetic age is higher than their chronological age\u2014in other words, people whose DNA is more methylated than normal for their age\u2014face increased risks of early death and age-related diseases. The reverse is also true: People with lower levels of methylation than normal tend to live longer, healthier lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Does DNA Methylation Cause Aging?<\/strong><br><br>A great deal of research supports the idea that DNA methylation increases over time and can be used to estimate a person\u2019s age and overall health. However, that doesn\u2019t necessarily mean that DNA methylation <em>causes <\/em>aging\u2014research suggests <a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC5076441\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">other factors have a bigger influence on the aging process<\/a>.<br><br>Additionally, as the saying goes, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.abs.gov.au\/statistics\/understanding-statistics\/statistical-terms-and-concepts\/correlation-and-causation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">correlation is not causation<\/a>: Just because two factors change in sync with each other, that doesn\u2019t mean one change caused the other. For example, consider the fact that as the number of pirates in the world has decreased, Earth\u2019s average temperature has increased. It would be ludicrous to say <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chi2innovations.com\/blog\/graphs-prove-correlation-not-causation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">this pattern<\/a> suggests global warming is caused by a lack of pirates. The pattern is a coincidence, and these changes are driven by entirely unrelated causes.<br><br>Following that same logic, researchers must <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/consider-the-possibilities\/\">consider the possibility<\/a> that additional factors cause both DNA methylation and age-related problems. It\u2019s also possible (though very unlikely) that the entire pattern is a coincidence.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-telomeres-limit-the-body-s-ability-to-heal\">Telomeres Limit the Body\u2019s Ability to Heal<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>While Brendborg mostly focuses on DNA methylation, he also presents another piece of evidence that old age might be programmed into human genetics: <strong>Parts of DNA known as <\/strong><strong><em>telomeres <\/em><\/strong><strong>place inherent limits on the body\u2019s ability to regenerate itself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/what-are-telomeres-and-why-are-they-important\/\">Telomeres are<\/a> specialized structures at the ends of each chromosome (strand of DNA). They\u2019re long strings of repetitive, meaningless DNA sequences that work like the plastic tips on shoelaces, holding the DNA together so it doesn\u2019t unravel. They also act as a buffer, protecting the useful DNA in the genes from damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: Cell division, also known as <em>mitosis<\/em>, is a crucial biological process\u2014it\u2019s how your body <a href=\"https:\/\/www.genomicseducation.hee.nhs.uk\/genotes\/knowledge-hub\/mitosis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">grows and repairs itself<\/a>. During mitosis, a cell makes an almost-complete copy of its DNA and then splits into two new cells, with each cell getting one set of DNA. However, the copying process isn\u2019t perfect, and small pieces of DNA are lost with each division. That\u2019s why telomeres are necessary: Instead of suffering damage to your actual genes during mitosis, you <a href=\"https:\/\/www.genome.gov\/genetics-glossary\/Telomere#:~:text=Every%20time%20a%20cell%20divides%2C%20some%20of%20those%20telomere%20repeats%20get%20cut%20off.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">lose sections of the telomeres<\/a>, which don\u2019t contain important genetic instructions.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Telomeres become slightly shorter each time a cell divides and eventually reach a critical length where the cell cannot safely divide again. Brendborg explains that <strong>a cell that can\u2019t divide anymore enters a state called <\/strong><strong><em>senescence<\/em><\/strong>, where it stops performing most of its intended functions, but doesn\u2019t get destroyed by the body\u2019s defense mechanisms like usual. Furthermore, senescent cells (informally called \u201czombie cells\u201d) start releasing chemicals that damage the tissues around them, thereby causing the aches and pains associated with old age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: It may seem strange that your own cells would release harmful chemicals into your body, but there\u2019s a reason for it. In <a href=\"https:\/\/shortform.com\/app\/book\/ageless\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Ageless<\/em><\/a>, biologist Andrew Steele explains that those chemicals are signals for your immune system to <a href=\"https:\/\/shortform.com\/app\/book\/ageless#aging-process-1-harmful-substances-accumulate\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">come and destroy the senescent cells<\/a>\u2014in other words, senescent cells attack the nearby tissues because they\u2019re trying to force your body to defend itself. However, as we\u2019ll discuss later, your immune system gets weaker as you age. Therefore, you eventually reach a point where your natural defenses can\u2019t destroy all the senescent cells, so they start accumulating. This causes increasing pain and inflammation as you get older.)&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Are human bodies hardwired to break down as they age? What is planned obsolescence? In his book Jellyfish Age Backwards, Nicklas Brendborg discusses two scientific theories that explain why humans age in the way that they do; one of those theories is planned obsolescence. Essentially, this theory states that aging is programmed into our genes. Keep reading for a deeper look into this fascinating theory.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":143199,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[160],"tags":[1767],"class_list":["post-143169","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-science","tag-jellyfish-age-backwards","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.3 (Yoast SEO v24.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What Is Planned Obsolescence? Biotech Researcher Explains - Shortform Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"What is planned obsolescence? Biotech researcher Nicklas Brendborg explains the theory in his book Jellyfish Age Backwards. Learn more.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/what-is-planned-obsolescence\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What Is Planned Obsolescence? Biotech Researcher Explains\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"What is planned obsolescence? Biotech researcher Nicklas Brendborg explains the theory in his book Jellyfish Age Backwards. 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