Earthweek: Slowing down the speed of death  Aug. 7, 2013  The
Speed of Death  Researchers have discovered a process in which
death spreads throughout living creatures, including humans, and
are working on ways to slow it down. The death wave, or death
fluorescence, has been observed as a glowing blue color within
worms, spreading predictably from cell to cell until the entire
creature is dead. The source of the blue hue is a compound
called anthranilic acid.  "It's like a blue grim reaper,
tracking death as it spreads throughout the organism until all
life is extinguished," said study co-author David Gems, from
University College London's Healthy Aging Institute.  While the
study focused on worms because they are the smallest and most
simple forms of animals, the biological process of cellular
death observed in them is believed to be similar to that in
humans. Gems says the discovery could lead to new medications or
techniques that could eventually slow the aging process and
postpone death, as well as delay m