Methuselah's Zoo

What Nature Can Teach Us About Living Longer, Healthier Lives

By: Steven N. Austad

Narrated by: Tristan Morris

Opossums in the wild don't make it to the age of three; our pet cats can live for a decade and a half; cicadas live for seventeen years. Whales, however, can live for two centuries and tubeworms for several millennia. Meanwhile, human life expectancy tops out around the mid-eighties, with some outliers living past 100 or even 110. Is there anything humans can learn from the exceptional longevity of some animals in the wild? In Methusaleh's Zoo, Steven Austad tells the stories of some extraordinary animals, considering why, for example, animal species that fly live longer than earthbound species and why animals found in the ocean live longest of all.

Austad—the leading authority on longevity in animals—argues that the best way we will learn from these long-lived animals is by studying them in the wild. Accordingly, he proceeds habitat by habitat, examining animals that spend most of their lives in the air, comparing insects, birds, and bats; animals that live on, and under, the ground—from mole rats to elephants; and animals that live in the sea.

Humans have dramatically increased their lifespan with only a limited increase in healthspan; we're more and more prone to diseases as we grow older. By contrast, these species have successfully avoided both environmental hazards and the depredations of aging. Can we be more like them?

©2022 Steven N. Austad (P)2023 Tantor

Informative but could do without the opinions

Very informative! I learned a lot through this listen, and it was vastly interesting. The one thing I could not get over, was the author saying that zoo elephants and worker elephants were treated greatly. That is very untrue, as any animal being forced to work for humans, is far from good treatment. Using animals for zoos and labor is far from humane, and the author lost much credibility when they stated their support.

Interesting subject

Narrator’s voice wasn’t clear for the audio book. It was very hard to understand and annoying.