As discussed elsewhere in these proceedings , the double pulsar system is a magnificent laboratory for gravitational physics and for studying pulsar magnetospheres .
Here we consider the uses of having two clocks in the system in the context of its origin and evolution .
We find that the “ standard ” evolutionary scenario involving spin-up of the first-born neutron star in an X-ray binary phase is consistent with the observed parameters .
Equality of the spin-down ages of the two pulsars requires that the post-accretion spin period of A most likely lies in the range 16 \stackrel { < } { { } _ { \sim } } P _ { 0 ,A } \stackrel { < } { { } _ { \sim } } 21 ms .
The likely age of the system is 30 - 70 Myr .