QUICK CLUES
Across
1. Purity (11)
9. Female sheep (3) 10. Ample (9)
11. Existing (5)
13. Symbols (7)
14. Rotate (6)
16. Alleviation (6) 18. 19. 20. 21. 22.
Relating to a secret order (7)
False (5) Tapering (9) Misery (3) Having good intentions (4-7)
Down
2. Fib (3)
3. Abundant (5)
4. Gave a sneering look (6) Remarkable (7) Making more malleable (9) 5. 6. 7. 8. 12. 15. 17. 19. 21.
Disorder (11) Mean (5-6)
Set aside (2,7) Food wrapping (7) Copyist (6) Started (5) Triumphed (3)
LULU, a fifteen year old terrier, is often mistaken for a puppy: her coat is shiny, she’s active, and she likes playing. Meanwhile Hattie is just two years old, but her black muzzle is tinged with grey, and people think she’s an elderly dog. The signs of ageing in pets vary significantly between animals, just as they do between humans.
I have always been intrigued by the fact that pets age at such a different rate from humans. I know from my veterinary studies that animal tissues look remarkably similar to their human equivalents under the microscope. Cat kidney cells look just like dog kidney cells which are very similar to human kidney cells. And the same applies to most parts of the body.
Yet here’s the paradox: animal bodies get older much more rapidly than human bodies.
It starts when they are young: puppies and kittens are helpless at birth, just like human babies, but by the age of four weeks, they are fully weaned and able to run around. In contrast, the average human isn’t able to walk till they are a year old, and some take even longer, which is at least twelve times longer than animals take to get going. Pups and kittens are ready to leave their birth families by three months of age: most humans aren’t mature enough to leave home till their early twenties, which is eighty times longer in real time. And typically, a dog or cat reaches terminal old age at the age of fifteen or sixteen, while humans now often live into their nineties, or six times longer than pets.
And each part of the body ages more quickly: a fifteen year old dog or cat’s mouth is usually missing teeth, with advanced periodontal disease, while a fifteen year old human’s teeth are shiny, youthful and white. The joints of an aged dog or cat look just like the joints of a person in their eighties: advanced arthritis is common.
Wouldn’t you think that since we all look the same under the microscope, we all have similar chemicals and cells in our bloodstream, and the same type of essential life force, that we would all develop and grow older at a similar rate?
One of the interesting areas of contemporary science is the study of ageing, known as gerontology. Or perhaps it’s more accurate to say “the study of anti-ageing”, because that is the real reason why many people are involved in this research. Unlike animals, we humans have enough self-awareness to know that our lives are limited, and we realise that our death is inevitable. Many of us have a hope or expectation that life continues beyond the grave in some form, but this has yet to be scientifically proven. It’s fair to say that as far as science is concerned, life stops at the point of death. And most humans would prefer this not to happen: we enjoy being alive. So we are fascinated by a science that promises the possibility of helping us live for longer.
Humans can now buy a wide range of anti-ageing products: yoghurt cultures to reseed our gut microbiomes, enema regimes to tackle our innards from the opposite end, cell injections to reinvigorate our ageing organs, magnetic devices to realign our tired tissues, and skin creams to smooth our wrinkles. We can try herbal elixirs, vitamin supplements, specialist diets and intricate exercise programmes. But do they work? The people selling their products enthuse while the scientists mutter about over-commercialisation of ideas that are just at the concept stage.
So what do scientists really think causes ageing? There are four main factors. First, toxic substances accumulating inside cells. Second, gradually worsening cell damage caused by ionizing irradiation, free-radical metabolites and environmental pollutants. Third, changes caused by an over-active or under-active immune system. And fourth, genetically preprogrammed cell death started by a part the gene that dictates for the cell’s lifespan. Every cell is genetically preprogrammed for a specific number of cell divisions: then it will die . It seems to me that this is the main area where animals differ to humans: the ultimate fix for old age in pets, as in humans, would be to identify the age-limiting genes, and to use genetic engineering technology to splice on a replica gene which doesn’t include the end-of-cell-life programming. Perhaps in the twenty second century, this is that may be introduced- for people and for pets.
Until then, if you want to live as long as possible, humans need to focus on issues like diet, exercise, sleep and mental health. What about our pets? The five most common causes of death in older dogs are cancer, cardiovascular disease, and kidney failure, epilepsy & liver disease. In cats, the top four fatal diseases are cancer, kidney failure, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes mellitus. So it makes sense to look out for the early warning signs of these common and serious life-shortening diseases in older pets, so that early and effective treatments can be given. A thorough check up by your vet, every six months or so, is the best way to make sure that you are not missing any clues.
And then just as for humans, physical and mental exercise, special senior diets and perhaps antioxidant supplements, are the combination that offers the best hope of helping our pets live for as long as possible. Life has to end some time, but for pets and people alike , later is better than sooner
WEDNESDAY
The Matrix (1999) ITV4, 10p.m. Keanu Reeves is computer hacker Neo, a man with an impossible mission (or so it seems). He’s charged with saving the world and enlightening the human race to the fact that reality, as they know it, isn’t all that it appears.
It turns out everyone is living in a computer simulation, but Neo is suddenly plucked out of the hi-tech illusion by a team of freedom fighters determined to reveal the truth.
At the time of its release, The Matrix made a huge impact, thanks to its groundbreaking special effects and top-notch action. Although a slew of copycat films and some unnecessarily convoluted sequels have dulled the impact a little, it remains an eye-popping, mind-bending movie.
THURSDAY
Taken (2008) Film4, 9p.m.
At the time, Liam Neeson seemed an unlikely choice for leading man in this fast-paced jaunt through the French capital, but he proved himself to be a charismatic and convincing action hero and launched a new phase in his career. He stars as a merciless avenger who will stop at nothing to rescue his daughter from the clutches of sex traffickers.
The boulevards of Paris are littered with dead bodies by the time the end credits roll as the invincible hero relentlessly pursues his quarry, snapping arms as if they were dry twigs.
The action set-pieces are well choreographed, including a breakneck car chase and some bone-crunching fist fights that recall Matt Damon’s Jason Bourne forays for ferocity and slick editing.
FRIDAY
You Were Never Really Here (2017) Film4, 11.20p.m.
Based on Jonathan Ames’ novella of the same title, You Were Never Really Here is a brutal and unflinching revenge thriller from writer-director Lynne Ramsay.
Traumatised war veteran Joe (Joaquin Phoenix in a fearless and at times heart-breaking performance) cares for his ailing mother (Judith Roberts) in his childhood home. By day, he wrestles with an addiction to painkillers and, by night, he accepts hitman assignments from associate John McCleary (John Doman).
Joe accepts a meeting with Senator Albert Votto (Alex Manette), whose teenage daughter Nina (Ekaterina Samsonov) is missing. The politician has received a tip-off by text that his beautiful girl is a sex slave in a brothel located in the Kips Bay neighbourhood of Manhattan.
SATURDAY
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) Channel 4, 6.45p.m.
The jury may still be out on whether JRR Tolkien’s sprightly novel really benefited from being stretched out over a trilogy of movies, but there is still much to enjoy in director Peter Jackson’s opening instalment, including a near perfect cast.
In the first deviation from the text, Jackson begins his picture at Bag End with the elderly Bilbo (Ian Holm) penning a book to his cousin Frodo (Elijah Wood). We rewind 60 years to meet Bilbo (Martin Freeman) in the Shire as he encounters Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and a 13-strong company of dwarves, who intend to reclaim their lost gold from the dragon Smaug in his mountain lair.
After a sleepless night, Bilbo agrees to accompany dwarf leader Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) and his troops on their perilous journey.
SUNDAY
Jurassic Park (1993) ITV2, 6.25p.m.
Steven Spielberg’s monster blockbuster sees a group of scientists (including Sam Neill and Laura Dern) being given a sneak preview of a safari park set up on a remote island by an eccentric tycoon (Richard Attenborough).
The creatures on display are genetically engineered dinosaurs and it isn’t long before something goes wrong and the prehistoric beasts escape their cages. Now that the dinosaurs are free to roam the island, the visitors become prey for a multitude of carnivorous critters.
The plot may be a rehash of author Michael Crichton’s earlier hit Westworld, but at the time this was one of the greatest shows on earth. In 2021, it still packs a punch, not least because of great effects, sound design, action scenes and Jeff Goldblum’s wonderful performance as a swaggering ‘chaotician’.
MONDAY
Hidden Figures (2016) Film4, 9p.m.
Katherine Johnson (Taraji P Henson) and fellow mathematicians Mary Jackson (Janelle Monae) and Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) work in the segregated West Computing Group in Hampton, Virginia. They are part of Nasa’s concerted effort to put a man into space before the Soviets.
Al Harrison (Kevin Costner), director of the Space Task Group, desperately needs a mathematician in his team to check computations. Supervisor Vivian Mitchell (Kirsten Dunst) selects Katherine, who is the first African-American to work with Al’s crack squad.
Based on an inspirational true story, Hidden Figures is a crowd-pleasing drama, emboldened by sparkling performances from Henson, Monae and Spencer. Sterling support from Costner and Dunst, and a dramatic role for Big Bang Theory star Jim Parsons, add to the golden lustre.
TUESDAY
Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa (2013) BBC2, 11.30p.m.
Much excitement surrounded the announcement of Steve Coogan’s return as the hapless Norwich-based DJ, and for once, the resulting movie more than lived up to the hype.
The plot sees radio station North Norfolk Digital being taken over by new owners – and one of their first actions is to sack Alan’s fellow DJ Pat Farrell (Colm Meaney). Unfortunately, Pat responds to the news by storming into the studio with a shotgun and taking hostages.
When the police enlist Alan as a negotiator, he sees a chance to turn the situation to his own advantage by using the resulting publicity to boost his career. I’m Alan Partridge regulars Felicity Montagu and Simon Greenall (aka long-suffering Lynn and Michael) are among the supporting cast.
WEXFORD Library is hosting a series of online free baby sign language classes throughout the month of March.
Taking place virtually, over Zoom, the classes will be presented by Claire Glynn of Clever Little Handies and are for parents with babies from newborn up.
It is nursery rhymes, songs and poems with ISL signs that pertain to the day to day with a baby,’ explained Claire. ‘The lockdowns have been difficult for everyone but particularly difficult for new parents, they face new anxieties and unknowns.
‘At least in this online environment they can share those anxieties and hopefully form connections with other parents in their area.’
The classes are free for participants but places are limited so booking is essential.
The Wexford Library classes take place on March 8, 15 and 22 at 9.30 a.m. To book email: wexfordlib@wexfordcoco.ie
The Gorey Library classes take place on March 3, 10, 17 and 24 at 11.30 a.m. To book email: goreylib@wexfordcoco.ie
The Enniscorth Library classes take place on March 3, 10, 17 and 24 at 10.30 a.m. To book email: enniscorthylib@wexfordcoco.ie
The Bunclody Library classes take place on March 2, 9, 16 and 23 at 9.30 a.m. To book email: bunclodylib@wexfordcoco.ie