The individual strands of DNA have terminations that are much like the ends of your shoelaces. In this case twisted endings that keep the ends of the strands from 'fraying'. These end structures are called telomeres. As DNA reproduces itself the structures are 'unwound' and then 'rewound' when the process is complete. Each reproductive cycle shortens the length of the telomere until it no longer performs it's function and the DNA becomes damaged.
Therefore, as we age our telomeres get progressively shorter. It may be possible to estimate the age of a person by investigating the relative length of his/her appropriate telomeres.
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