Editing Longevity (section)

== Naturally limited longevity==
Most biological organisms have a naturally limited longevity due to [[aging]], unlike a rare few that are considered [[biologically immortal]].

Given that different species of animals and plants have different potentials for longevity, the disrepair accumulation theory of aging tries to explain how the potential for longevity of an organism is sometimes positively correlated to its structural complexity. It suggests that while biological complexity increases individual lifespan, it is counteracted in nature since the survivability of the overall species may be hindered when it results in a prolonged [[Developmental biology#Developmental processes|development process]], which is an evolutionarily vulnerable state.<ref>{{cite arXiv|eprint=0904.0575|class=q-bio.TO| vauthors = Wang J, Michelitsch T, Wunderlin A, Mahadeva R |title=Aging as a consequence of Misrepair –a novel theory of aging |year=2009}}</ref>

According to the [[antagonistic pleiotropy hypothesis]], one of the reasons biological immortality is so rare is that certain categories of [[gene expression]] that are beneficial in youth become deleterious at an older age.