it was also discovered that certain vitamins can capture and neutralize free radicals. but does that mean that vitamins can stop the aging process and protect us from illnesses. researchers wanted to find out with the aid of tiny round worms. these animals only live for about a month and that makes them ideal model organisms they're just a millimeter in length but they also develop free radicals and they also age and die. in a series of experiments researchers fed the worms a substance intended to accelerate the production of free radicals in their bodies . that was so did that shorten their life span.