Recent discoveries in the science of ageing indicate that lifespan in model organisms such as yeast, nematodes, flies and mice is plastic and can be manipulated by genetic, nutritional or pharmacological intervention. A better understanding of the targets of such interventions, as well as the proximate causes of ageing-related degeneration and disease, is essential before we can evaluate if abrogation of human senescence is a realistic prospect.

1. Buck Institute for Age Research, 8001 Redwood Boulevard, Novato, California 94945, USA
2. Life Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Mailstop 84–171, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
3. Present address: Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, New York 10461, USA.

Correspondence to: Jan Vijg^1,3Judith Campisi^1,2 Correspondence should be addressed to J.C. (Email: JCampisi@lbl.gov) or J.V. (Email: jvijg@aecom.yu.edu).

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