Uploaded February 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Is aging a loss of biological self?
The nature of things is to mingle, to coalesce, to merge. The only reason that people don’t do that as quickly as raindrops on windowpanes is because we have immune systems.
How life began is one of the most compelling mysteries in science, along with ‘why we age and die’. But closely tied to both these questions is another : *What makes a biological self?* How does a living organism know what to protect as "self" and what to attack as "other"? How does the biological self begin and eventually die?
Last year i read this book; Faith, Madness, and spontaneous human combustion: What immunology can teach us about self-perception. by Gerald Callahan and i came across this intriguing quote:
*"Without thymuses, we are not ourselves."*
The thymus gland, located just in front of and above the heart, plays a crucial role in training T-cells—immune cells that learn to distinguish self from non-self. While the immune system is a highly complex and deeply studied field, its role in shaping our biological identity and its connection to aging is less commonly explored outside of specialized research. But if you stick with me, I promise you’ll not only gain a deeper understanding of how the immune system defines who we are but also discover how this process might hold the key to unraveling the mysteries of aging—because aging could be a breakdown in this very distinction between self and non-self.
And speaking of breakdown, i’ll breakdown the remainder of this video into 3 sections:
1. **The Problem of Self vs. Non-Self:** How does the immune system distinguish between what belongs and what doesn’t? And why is this question more complicated than it seems?
2. **The Immune System as a Controller of Cohesiveness and the discontinuity theory of immmunity:** We’ll explore Thomas Pradeu’s fascinating theory that immunity isn’t just about defense but about maintaining the organism’s integrity over time.
3. **Aging as a Loss of Biological Self:** We’ll dive into how aging might result from the immune system failing to recognize and clear rogue cells like cancerous or senescent cells—and whether this insight could help us combat aging.
Find me on Twitter - twitter.com/EleanorSheekey
Support the channel
through PayPal - paypal.me/sheekeyscience?country.x=GB&locale.x=en_GB
through Patreon - patreon.com/TheSheekeyScienceShow
TIMESTAMPS
Intro - 00:00
Biological self - 02:05
Immune system and discontinuity - 03:20
Aging - 05:00
References:
The discontinuity theory of immunity - science.org/doi/10.1126/sciimmunol.aag0479
Please note that The Sheekey Science Show is distinct from Eleanor Sheekey's teaching and research roles at the University of Cambridge. The information provided in this show is not medical advice, nor should it be taken or applied as a replacement for medical advice. The Sheekey Science Show and guests assume no liability for the application of the information discussed.
Icons in intro; "freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background"Background vector created by freepik - freepik.com
Is aging a loss of biological self?
The nature of things is to mingle, to coalesce, to merge. The only reason that people don’t do that as quickly as raindrops on windowpanes is because we have immune systems.
How life began is one of the most compelling mysteries in science, along with ‘why we age and die’. But closely tied to both these questions is another : *What makes a biological self?* How does a living organism know what to protect as "self" and what to attack as "other"? How does the biological self begin and eventually die?
Last year i read this book; Faith, Madness, and spontaneous human combustion: What immunology can teach us about self-perception. by Gerald Callahan and i came across this intriguing quote:
*"Without thymuses, we are not ourselves."*
The thymus gland, located just in front of and above the heart, plays a crucial role in training T-cells—immune cells that learn to distinguish self from non-self. While the immune system is a highly complex and deeply studied field, its role in shaping our biological identity and its connection to aging is less commonly explored outside of specialized research. But if you stick with me, I promise you’ll not only gain a deeper understanding of how the immune system defines who we are but also discover how this process might hold the key to unraveling the mysteries of aging—because aging could be a breakdown in this very distinction between self and non-self.
And speaking of breakdown, i’ll breakdown the remainder of this video into 3 sections:
1. **The Problem of Self vs. Non-Self:** How does the immune system distinguish between what belongs and what doesn’t? And why is this question more complicated than it seems?
2. **The Immune System as a Controller of Cohesiveness and the discontinuity theory of immmunity:** We’ll explore Thomas Pradeu’s fascinating theory that immunity isn’t just about defense but about maintaining the organism’s integrity over time.
3. **Aging as a Loss of Biological Self:** We’ll dive into how aging might result from the immune system failing to recognize and clear rogue cells like cancerous or senescent cells—and whether this insight could help us combat aging.
Find me on Twitter - twitter.com/EleanorSheekey
Support the channel
through PayPal - paypal.me/sheekeyscience?country.x=GB&locale.x=en_GB
through Patreon - patreon.com/TheSheekeyScienceShow
TIMESTAMPS
Intro - 00:00
Biological self - 02:05
Immune system and discontinuity - 03:20
Aging - 05:00
References:
The discontinuity theory of immunity - science.org/doi/10.1126/sciimmunol.aag0479
Please note that The Sheekey Science Show is distinct from Eleanor Sheekey's teaching and research roles at the University of Cambridge. The information provided in this show is not medical advice, nor should it be taken or applied as a replacement for medical advice. The Sheekey Science Show and guests assume no liability for the application of the information discussed.
Icons in intro; "freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background"Background vector created by freepik - freepik.com
