Evolutionary basis of ageing. Professor Cynthia Kenyon (University of California, San Francisco, USA). Summary: Scientists have long thought that ageing 'just happens'. Yet because of their genes, different species have different lifespans. From the roundworm C. elegans, we now know that ageing is regulated, by specific genes. These genes also influence life span in mammals, including humans. This system, and its evolution, will be discussed.