Nobel prize-winning biologist Venki Ramakrishnan explores the biology of aging, looks at the societal implications of living longer, and offers insights into the everlasting issue of mortality.

Mortality is an inescapable reality — all of us are going to die. But why we age and die are questions scientists have only recently been able to answer.

What is death, why do our bodies experience it, and how can we live a healthy life for as long as possible?

In his 2024 book, Why We Die, structural biologist and author Venki Ramakrishnan attempts to give us plain, simple answers, bringing the latest scientific research to the oldest human question.

Blending the work of philosophers and scientists, Ramakrishnan considers mortality, what we can do to live long, healthy lives, and how humanity's quest to prolong life may cause more harm than good.