This is the last of a series of four NYT articles about the science of aging. It's a little hard to follow, but it explores a key problem of social science research: does correlation ("educated people live longer on average") imply causation ("people learned how to be healthier in school so they lived longer.")

An excellent report about the many possibilities that might explain better health and longer lives. It is clear and clever, never too simplistic nor too smoky, which is rare and precious.

Gina Kolata is one of the finest Science Writers in the nation! I first discovered her work in Science Magazine, in an article on "Teratogens of the Mind", circa mid 1970's.

Article from the sometimes a-little-too-enthusiastic Gina Kolata on the two big theories about societal life extension: education and tightly-knit social networks.

"Correlation does not imply causation." was what my science professor always said. This article does a poor job of explaining the research in terms of whether longevity is merely correlated with education or if there is a causal connection. This article is not sufficiently skeptical, as evinced by its declarative title.