Audio
Archive
2013
January
February
March
April
May
2012
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
2011
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
2010
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
2009
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
2008
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
2007
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Subscribe
Feb. 27, 2009
Why Do People Go Gray?
Click 
to enlarge images
to enlarge images
|
|
Tweet |
| It's one of the most common signs of aging -- gray hair. But exactly why does hair turn gray? New research finds that the hair essentially bleaches itself. In younger hair follicles, an enzyme called catalase breaks down naturally-forming hydrogen peroxide. Without that enzyme, the peroxide remains -- and low levels of two other enzymes, MSR A and B, make it difficult for the hair follicles to repair the damage from the peroxide. We'll talk with the Editor-in-Chief of The FASEB Journal, which published the work. |
Produced by Annette Heist, Senior Producer
Guests
-
Gerald Weissmann
Editor-in-Chief, FASEB Journal (Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology)
Professor of Medicine Emeritus
New York University School of Medicine
New York, New York
FEATURED READING
Brilliant Blunders
by Mario Livio
ADVERTISEMENT
RELATED BLOG POSTS
- Predicting Storms, Electroshock Therapy, Germaphiles, and More
Each week we’ll round up links to science stories or studies that blow our mind, tickle our funny bone, or generally strike our ...
- Meet Susan Barry, Neurobiologist and 3D Visionary
Susan Barry could only see in two dimensions until age 48, when her life changed forever.
- Smuggled Dinosaurs, Sick Sea Otters, Hairy Tongues, and More
Each week we’ll round up links to science stories or studies that blow our mind, tickle our funny bone, or generally strike our ...
- Meet Larry Rosenblum, Perceptual Psychologist and Magician
This scientist studies human powers of perception that we might not even know we have.
Discussion