Telomere & Cellular Aging Simulator

Telomeres are the protective caps at the ends of every chromosome, and they shorten a little with each cell division because DNA replication cannot fully copy a chromosome's very tip. This simulator tracks a colony of cells through repeated replicative cycles: a large rotating chromosome model visualizes the colony's average telomere length directly through its cap size, while a grid of individual cells shifts from healthy green through yellow and orange to senescent gray as they approach and cross the Hayflick limit. Telomerase activation rebuilds part of the lost sequence each round, and protective interventions — modeled on antioxidants and senolytic drugs — reduce damage and clear out senescent cells, letting you explore how each lever changes how long the colony keeps dividing.