evolutionary aging

Evolutionary aging refers to the idea that our bodies are designed to maximize reproductive success early in life, even if it leads to decline later on. Natural selection strongly favors traits that help organisms reproduce successfully when young, but less so for traits that matter after reproduction. As a result, factors like cell damage and genetic changes accumulate over time, causing aging and decline. Essentially, aging occurs because the evolutionary "pressure" to develop long-lasting bodies diminishes after reproductive years, making aging a byproduct of how evolution prioritizes early life survival and reproduction.