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If you want to age as a 96 year old Nobel laureate, get to work.
Arthur Ashkin became the oldest Nobel laureate last year when he received half of the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics. This prestigious award recognizes its essential role in developing a technology that can levitate tiny objects with lasers.
Ashkin retired from Bell Labs (the place where he had researched the Nobel Prize) in 1992, but he still gave up his sugar cane and went to his basement to work at each opportunity.
"My lab is out there," he said during a recent visit to his home in Rumson, New Jersey.
Ashkin tinkers with his next invention, one that he believes will win him another Nobel Prize. On his workbench, he makes small and shiny tubes of reflective paper and tape. He believes that these solutions will one day be a cheap solar energy solution that will "save the world".
"I do this a few times a day," he says as he descends the narrow staircase from his basement.
The inventive spirit of Ashkin could partly explain why his mind is still alive. Scientists who have studied what are called "superagents" – whistles over the age of 65 whose memories are as clear as those of 25 years – say that these people often share the curiosity and zeal of Ashkin for problem solving. Constantly asking difficult questions and trying to solve difficult problems can be a great way to deal with the mental decline badociated with aging.
"Although no one knows exactly why some people are executives, we believe that one common factor is that they engage in a demanding mental exercise," recently wrote Lisa Feldman Barrett, psychology professor and researcher. in psychology, in The Guardian. "They continually challenge themselves to learn new things outside of their comfort zone."
Barrett's research suggests that regularly engaging your brain in this way can help avoid beta-amyloid plaques, which can accumulate in the brain over time and are badociated with conditions such as the dementia and depression.
"We think that people who are looking for and tolerating difficult tasks help them to protect their memory, even if they have these plates," Barrett wrote.
Other researchers agree that learning new skills as you get older and engaging in lifelong learning can help keep a person's minds alive and well. live spirit.
"It is thought that challenging your brain with mental exercises activates processes that help maintain individual brain cells and stimulate communication between them," Harvard Health researchers wrote in a blog post.
For Ashkin, this means continually questioning what he knows about the operation of light particles.
"It's kind of a mysterious particle," he said. "When I took quantum mechanics, they said" it's a wave that's everywhere. "It's a particle that's all over. & # 39; "
In addition to continuing to push your brain, moving your body and eating well can help you stay alert. Research has repeatedly shown that cardiovascular exercise and bodybuilding play a key role in our age, as are the consumption of fresh vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats. Getting an adequate dose of sleep at night also makes a difference.
Of course, many other factors can contribute to the mental decline of older adults, and some factors, such as genetics and family history, are beyond our control.
However, Ashkin has another healthy aging device: a supportive spouse. Ashkin and his 86-year-old wife, Aline Ashkin, have been married for 64 years.
Aline said that she is always impressed by her spirit.
"I'm really surprised to find that at the age of 96, he's so brilliant and brilliant," she said.
His support can actually be part of his mental success. Researchers have long noticed that married people are less likely to suffer from all kinds of health problems in old age: they are better nourished and survive more heart attacks. Marriage is also linked to better cognitive outcomes in older adults, especially men.
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