Shelly Fan in Singularity Hub:
When Jeanne Calment died at the age of 122, her longevity had researchers scratching their heads. Although physically active for most of her life, she was also a regular smoker and enjoyed wine—lifestyle choices that are generally thought to decrease healthy lifespan.
Teasing apart the intricacies of human longevity is complicated. Diet, exercise, and other habits can change the trajectory of a person’s health as they grow older. Genetics also plays a role—especially during the twilight years. But experiments to test these ideas are difficult, in part because of our relatively long lifespan. Following a large population of people as they age is prohibitively expensive, and results could take decades. So, most studies have turned to animal aging models—including flies, rodents, and dogs—with far shorter lives.
But what if we could model human “aging in a dish” using cells derived from people with exceptionally long lives?
More here.
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