Podcast: Osteoarthritis: How Evolution Betrays Us in Old Age

By Cameron English and ChuckDinerstein — Jul 14, 2025

Contrary to popular belief, osteoarthritis may not just be the result of wear and tear accrued over the course of a long life. New evidence points to a deeper evolutionary explanation for why our joints ache in old age. Let's take a look.

Image via Pixabay

Join Cameron English and Dr. Chuck Dinerstein on Episode 121 of the Science Dispatch podcast as they discuss:

Osteoarthritis as an Evolutionary Legacy

We’ve long blamed osteoarthritis on “wear and tear,” the price of a life well-lived. But could the cause be a more ancient culprit: a misfired developmental program that once built our skeletons and now betrays us in old age? What if joint failure isn’t just mechanical decay but a biological relapse?

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Cameron English

Director of Bioscience

Cameron English is a writer, editor and co-host of the Science Facts and Fallacies Podcast. Before joining ACSH, he was managing editor at the Genetic Literacy Project.