Studying naked mole rats could us develop new anti-ageing strategies Jannissimo/Shutterstock Naked mole rats live for up to 37 years – far longer than other rodents their size. What is the secret of their longevity? Among other factors, it could be down to a variant of an immune protein that boosts DNA repair The discovery … Read more
One explanation for why we age is the accumulation of mutations in the DNA of cells Mohammed Elamine Aliuii / Alamy A clump of proteins seems to be in charge of the level of DNA repair that takes place in our bodies, determining how fast mutations accumulate in our cells over a lifetime – and … Read more
María Branyas Morera, pictured with scientist Manel Esteller, took part in a study to help researchers understand her longevity Manel Esteller Between 17 January 2023 and 19 August 2024, María Branyas Morera, of Spain, was officially the world’s oldest personuntil she died aged 117 years and 168 days. To uncover the secrets of her extraordinary … Read more
A small sample of blood can tell us a lot about our health MoMo Productions/Getty Images A single blood test can reveal the biological ages of 11 different organs and bodily systems, potentially highlighting the risk of disease in those areas. “The goal is to guide care with one test that shows not only overall … Read more
Getty Images For Unsplash+ Living to 100. It is a milestone that, until recently, was so rare that hitting it would secure you newspaper inches and perhaps a segment on local radio. Today, it is an ambition well within reach for many of us. Last week, Japan celebrated a record number of centenarians – now … Read more
Bryan Johnson devotes more than 6 hours a day to slow down or even reverse the ageing of his body Agaton Strom/Redux/eyevine Bryan Johnson is finishing his 6.5-hour morning routine when I sign on to Zoom for my allotted 15-minute call with him (a constraint of what a member of his team describes as his … Read more
My parents are both in their 80s and are fit and well for people of their age. I would like them to be around for many years longer. So, what is the secret to getting from your 80s to 100 and beyond? Good fortune plays a big part: avoiding fatal accidents or deadly infectious diseases … Read more
“I’m 87. I don’t feel 87, I don’t think like I’m 87,” declared Elaine Neuwirth on TikTok. “The most important thing is to get involved… interact with other people… have a purpose. Get up and move… Be part of the world.” Her words, now viewed by 3.6 million people and counting, capture the growing scientific … Read more
If you want to live to a grand old age, it might help to think of yourself not as a human, but rather a holobiont – a collective of human cells plus the trillions of microbes that live in and on you. Because it isn’t just our own cells that change with age; our microbiome … Read more
“My secret is that I never get off the sofa,” said no centenarian, ever. But it is worth noting that the world’s oldest people rarely mention punishing fitness regimes, either. Instead, centenarians tend to report a lifetime of regular, moderate exercisesuch as walking, farming and gardening. This exact prescription doesn’t fit well into many modern … Read more
