Ice-Age DNA Linked to Living Past 100, Italian Study Finds
Italian researchers analyzed DNA from over 1,000 individuals and found that centenarians carry more Western Hunter-Gatherer DNA, particularly the Villabruna cluster from about 14,000 years ago, which is linked to immune response and cellular repair. In a comparison of 333 centenarians and 690 younger adults, those with hunter-gatherer ancestry had about 38% higher odds of living to 100+, with the signal strongest in women. The study suggests ancient genomic patterns may influence aging and inflammaging, though environment and healthcare remain important and further lab work is needed to confirm functional effects.