Directionality theory and mortality patterns across the primate lineage.

Area of Science:

• Evolutionary biology
• Gerontology
• Primatology

Background:

• Human longevity is exceptional among primates.
• Previous studies suggest local selective forces, not phylogeny, drive this.
• Understanding the evolutionary basis of primate aging patterns is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose an evolutionary rationale for human longevity.
• To introduce Life-Table Entropy as a key parameter.
• To link ecological constraints to lifespan evolution in humans.

Main Methods:

• Invoking Life-Table Entropy, a measure of lifespan uncertainty.
• Analyzing human terrestrial life-history and subsistence modes (hunter-gatherer, agricultural, industrial).
• Deriving the Entropic Principle of Longevity from Directionality Theory and Evolutionary Entropy.

Main Results:

• Life-table entropy positively correlates with maximal life span.
• The Entropic Principle of Longevity states: life-table entropy increases in equilibrium species and decreases in opportunistic species.
• Human ecological constraints have shaped lifespan evolution.

Conclusions:

• Local selective forces and human-specific ecological factors explain exceptional human longevity.
• Life-table entropy and the Entropic Principle of Longevity provide a framework for understanding primate aging.
• Evolutionary Entropy underlies the patterns observed in species' lifespan and mortality.