Scott Alexander reviews David Sinclair's optimistic book on anti-aging research, discussing its main claims and potential criticisms. Longer summary

Scott Alexander reviews David Sinclair's book 'Lifespan', which argues that aging is primarily caused by epigenetic damage and can be easily solved. Sinclair proposes activating sirtuin proteins through various means like calorie restriction, exercise, or supplements to repair this damage. The review covers Sinclair's main arguments, potential criticisms, and broader philosophical questions about extending human lifespan. Scott expresses some skepticism about Sinclair's optimism but acknowledges the potential benefits of anti-aging research. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander announces the winners of the 2019 Adversarial Collaboration Contest and reviews all entries, praising their strengths and noting their impact on readers. Longer summary

Scott Alexander announces the winners of the 2019 Adversarial Collaboration Contest. The winning entry is about calorie restriction and aging by Adrian Liberman and Calvin Reese, with a close second on the ethics of eating meat by David G and Froolow. Scott praises both entries for their different strengths: the calorie restriction piece for its focused approach on a factual question, and the meat ethics piece for its comprehensive review of arguments. He notes that the meat ethics collaboration had a significant impact on readers' eating habits. Scott then briefly reviews the other entries, discussing their strengths and weaknesses. He concludes by explaining the prize distribution and his decision not to run the contest next year, citing various challenges. Shorter summary

The post examines whether calorie restriction slows aging, concluding it likely does but may not be worth the drawbacks for most people. Longer summary

This post discusses the effects of calorie restriction (CR) on aging and longevity, examining evidence from animal studies, human population studies, and proposed biological mechanisms. The authors review the paradox between lab animal studies showing increased lifespan with CR and human population studies suggesting optimal longevity at normal BMIs. They conclude that while CR likely extends lifespan modestly, the potential risks and discomfort may outweigh the benefits for most people. Shorter summary