am currently working on ‘anti-ageing medicine′, death and immortality and the insights they provide for the cultural construction of old age . These studies identify a crisis in understanding ‘old age′ which stems from significant advances in the control and manipulation of biological ageing. Claims to the technical ability to control the human ageing process are far from new but challenging issues about the meaning of old age arise with the prospect of significantly enhanced longevity claimed by contemporary bio-gerontology. I have written journal articles, chapters and given seminars on the significance of the biologisation of old age many of which can be accessed from this page. Chris Phillipson is Professor of Applied Social Studies and Social Gerontology at Keele University.