This Spanish Woman Lived to 117. Scientists May Have Discovered Why

Researchers said the supercentenarian’s longevity shows how old age and disease can ‘become decoupled’ at times. Maria Branyas was the oldest person in the world when she died at 117 in Spain last year – but a look at her genome suggests that her biological age may have been much younger. Health experts and the public alike have long been fascinated with supercentenarians – those who live to at least 110 – and what their longevity reveals about the keys to ageing well. Before she died in August 2024, Branyas agreed to help a group of Spanish scientists find out....