Ageing, features and articles | Educational Science

Jan 30, 2020

US life expectancy finally ticks upward. But it's too soon to call it a trend, experts say

U.S. life expectancy at birth has increased for the first time in four years, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). And a large part of this increase is attributable to a marked decline in drug overdose deaths. However, the uptick in life...

Mar 17, 2020

Meditation may have shaved 8 years of aging off Buddhist monk's brain

While there's no fountain of youth, a Tibetian Buddhist monk may have tapped into the next best thing, according to an analysis showing that his 41-year-old brain actually resembles that of a 33-year-old. The monk, Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche (YMR), a renowned meditation practitioner and teacher, began meditating at age 9....

Apr 8, 2021

Cells age prematurely in those with depression, study suggests

Depression may accelerate aging at the cellular level and lead to premature death, according to a new study. Major depressive disorder (MDD) has previously been found to be a risk factor for many different aging-related diseases, including cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease and osteoporosis; it's also been associated with early mortality....

Apr 19, 2021

Oldest American, Hester Ford, dies, leaving 120 great-great-grandchildren

Hester Ford, America’s oldest woman, celebrated her 116th birthday on Aug. 15 at her home in Charlotte. She has died of natural causes. First reported by @qcitymetro. 📸 @TCooperHullPics pic.twitter.com/JVRMYT0NYsApril 17, 2021 See more Hester McCardell Ford, a woman recognized as the oldest living American, died Saturday (April 17) at...

May 28, 2021

Human life span may have an 'absolute limit' of 150 years

Humans may be able to live for between 120 and 150 years, but no longer than this absolute limit on human life span, a new study suggests. For the study, published online May 25 in the journal Nature Communications, the researchers used mathematical modeling to predict that after 120 to...

Jun 28, 2021

Natural rates of aging are fixed, study suggests

No matter how hard you try, it might be difficult to slow down aging, a depressing new study suggests. Across a range of primate species, including humans, aging rates are mostly determined by biological factors, not environmental ones. What's more, the rate of aging is mostly consistent within a primate...

Jul 30, 2021

People who live to 100 have unique gut bacteria signatures

People who live to age 100 and beyond may have special gut bacteria that help ward off infections, according to a new study from Japan. The results suggest that these bacteria, and the specific compounds they produce — known as secondary bile acids — could contribute to a healthy gut...

Sep 22, 2021

World's oldest identical twins are 107 years (and 300 days) old

Two sisters in Japan have been declared the world's oldest identical twins, at age 107, according to news reports. The sisters, Umeno Sumiyama and Koume Kodama, were born on Nov. 5, 1913, making them 107 years and 300-plus days old, according to the Associated Press. That breaks the previous record...

Sep 29, 2021

Will humans ever be immortal?

If you are human, you are going to die. This isn't the most comforting thought, but death is the inevitable price we must pay for being alive. Humans are, however, getting better at pushing back our expiration date, as our medicines and technologies advance. If the human life span continues...

Dec 16, 2021

Anti-aging vaccine shows promise in mice — will it work in humans?

An experimental vaccine successfully eliminated aging cells from the bodies of mice, helping to prolong the rodents' lives and reverse some signs of age-related disease. The researchers say the experiment is a step on the road to a similar vaccine for humans, but could it really work? I think the...

Apr 17, 2022

Skin cells made 30 years younger with new 'rejuvenation' technique

Researchers in the U.K. have developed a way to reverse the aging process in skin cells, turning back the biological clock by about 30 years. De-aging cells has become increasingly common in the last decade, with researchers reprogramming multiple mouse, rat and human cell types. But never before have cells...

Apr 26, 2022

World's oldest person dies in Japan at age 119

Kane Tanaka of Japan, who was the world's oldest living person, has died at age 119, according to news reports. Tanaka was born on Jan. 2, 1903 and died on April 19, according to CNN. According to Guinness World Records, Tanaka became the world's oldest living person on Jan. 30,...

Jun 27, 2022

Scientists find species that don’t seem to age. What does it mean for humans?

Death comes for all, but aging doesn’t — at least for some animal species Two new studies published Thursday (June 23) in the journal Science found that turtles and tortoises have remarkably slow rates of aging. In captivity, without the stress of finding food and avoiding predators, some may not...

Aug 14, 2022

Does drinking coffee help you live longer?

Americans drink an estimated 517 million cups of coffee every day, according to the National Coffee Association, making it the most popular beverage in the U.S. other than water. Drinking coffee has been associated with a wide range of health benefits. But will it help you live longer? Many large...

Sep 26, 2022

Why We Find It Harder to Filter Out Background Noise As We Age

The problem becomes more common as we age: A friend is talking to you, you see his mouth moving and you hear his voice, but amid the din of other voices and music, you just can't make out the words. Part of the issue, new research finds, may lie not...