Why organisms age and why sexual reproduction exists are major unsolved problems in biology. This book provides an integrated explanation of aging and sex based on current knowledge of DNA damage and repair. - Discusses the universality of the problem of DNA damage - Describes aging as a consequence of accumulated DNA damage - Considers meiosis as an adaptation for DNA repair - Discusses mating in eukaryotes as an adaptation for masking mutation

Introduction: Major Ideas and Historical Perspectives. DNA Damage. Immediate Consequences of DNA Damage. Accumulation of DNA Damage in Somatic Cells. The DNA Damage Hypothesis of Aging Applied to Mammals. Oxidative DNA Damage as a Potential Major Cause of Aging. Additional Evidence Bearing on the DNA Damage Hypothesis of Aging. Aging in Nonmammalian Organisms, with Comparisons to Aspects of Aging in Mammals. DNA Repair with Emphasis on Single-Strand Damages. DNA Repair with Emphasis on Recombinational Repair. Meiosis and Meiotic Recombination. Meiosis Viewed as an Adaptation for DNA Repair. The Selective Advantage of Outcrossing. Evolutionary Aspects of Sex. Other Theories of Aging and Sex. Overview, Future Directions, and Implications. Each chapter includes references. Index.