In 1997 I was 22 years old, and Mrs. Jeanne calment he was 100 years older than me. When he closed his eyes, he took with him a record that has not yet been equaled, to the point of making a question grow more and more: is this really the maximum age, the limit of human life?
Today, as dozens of laboratories analyze the DNA of centenarians, a new generation of scientists is challenging the very idea of biological limits. Between dormant genes, rebellious hormones, and rejuvenated cells, the frontier of longevity is shifting every day.
The Myth of 122 Years and the Enigma of Supercentenarians
Jeanne Calment was not just any woman. Born in 1875, was already 13 years old when the Eiffel Tower was completed. He died 5 years after quitting smoking (at 117 years old) and eating chocolate every day. Natalia Gavrilová, demographer of theUniversity of Chicago, has been studying cases like his for decades:
Until the 90s, we thought that 115 years was an insurmountable wall for human life. Then we saw that the mortality curve slows down after 105 years, almost defying biological laws.
If this wasn't strange enough, the data collected in a 2020 study show that going further, a noteworthy factor emerges: after 113 years of age, the risk of death doubles every year. But why do so few reach this stage? Leonid Gavrilov, co-author of the study, hypothesizes that “the human body has a 'survival kit' that only activates under extreme evolutionary pressure. Perhaps supercentenarians unlock cellular repair mechanisms that 99,9% of us are unaware of”.
The real mystery is in their genetics
Nir Barzilai, director ofInstitute for Aging Research, discovered that 60% of centenarians have mutations in the IGF-1 gene, linked to growth hormone.
It seems like a paradox: less growth, more longevity. These genetic variants slow down aging, as if they put the body into 'energy saving mode'.'. We die before the age of 80 not because of a biological destiny, but because medicine has not yet grasped the potential of extreme longevity..
And he might not catch it so soon: one 2017 statistical study he predicted that no individual will reach the age of 130 within this century.
Epigenetics: The Secret Switch to Reset the Biological Clock and Extend Human Lifespan?
While genetics studies the “book” of DNA, epigenetics deciphers its marginal notes who decide which pages to read. David Sinclair ofHarvard Medical School is a old knowledge of our site. works on the sirtuins, proteins that rewind these signals: “Imagine a scratched DVD: sirtuins are the polish that restores the data. In 2023, we rejuvenated mouse cells by 50%, returning them to an almost embryonic state”.
The experiment, published Cell, he used a cocktail of genes for reprogram the epigenome without erasing the cellular identity. “We've created a biological 'Ctrl+Z key'”, Sinclair laughs. But there’s a problem: In mice, the treatment worked only for acute damage. Applying it to chronic aging will take decades.
The real leap, of course, will occur when we move from rodents to humans.. Altos Labs, a startup financed by Jeff Bezos (and not only), is already testing epigenetic therapies on primates. “If it works, we could add 10-20 healthy years to life expectancy”, explains Sinclair. But the debate is heated: a 2021 study on Nature warns that modifying the epigenome could also accelerate cancers or neurodegenerative diseases.
“Living to 150? Maybe. But the real goal is to get there in good health, not as mummies connected to machines” (David Sinclair).
Diet, Exercise, and Socializing: How Much Does Lifestyle Matter After 100?
If you ask a centenarian the secret to longevity, he will tell you drink red wine (Jeanne Calment) or eat fried bacon (Susannah Mushatt Jones, 116 years old) Science, however, reveals a more complex picture. An analysis of 2017 published on extremes show that After 105, Habits Matter Less Than DNA: smokers and vegetarians die equally. Yes sir: after 105, free for all! I don't know what I'd give to see Little Richard unlock this bonus.
Gavrilova found that the heritability of longevity is astonishing: “Having one centenarian parent increases your chances by 31%, two parents by 67%. It's like being born with a 20-year bonus”. But not everything is written: for example, exercise after 70 reduces the risk of dementia by 44%, according to theUniversity of Cambridge.
The real turning point could be the personalized medicine. “Today we treat diseases one at a time”, says Barzilai. “Tomorrow, therapies such as those based on metformin (a diabetes drug that extends life in mice) will act on aging itself, preventing 5-6 pathologies at the same time”.
The Ethics of Human Long Life: Who Can Afford to Become Immortal?
This part, when you address the topic, always comes up. And since I don't intend to hide it, I'll take it head on and speak clearly: if we all reached 150 years old, the pension system would collapse with a bang. It's a popular opinion, right? Few will argue with me. Yet, Sinclair argues that “a society of healthy centenarians would be more productive and creative”. With a more than concrete risk, however: Anti-aging therapies could become a luxury for billionaires, deepening inequalities.
Already today, Clinics in Switzerland offer young plasma transfusions at 8.000 euros per dose, without scientific evidence. “We must prevent longevity from becoming a business for the few”, warns Barzilai. The solution? Including aging in clinical trials as a treatable disease, opening up to public funding.
Meanwhile, the China invests 10 billion dollars in gerontology research, while NASA studies how to protect astronauts from accelerated aging in space. “Maybe the key to colonizing Mars lies in the DNA of centenarians”, Sinclair hypothesizes. Meanwhile, let's get back to Earth.
Human Life Beyond Limits? The Future Between Gene Editing and Zombie Cells
The last frontiers? La CRISPR to modify genes linked to aging and senolytics, drugs that eliminate “zombie” cells that accumulate with age. A 2025 study on Nature aging showed that il dasatinib (used for leukemia) reduces these cells by 30% in old mice, also improving heart function.
Another possible turning point? Artificial intelligence is analyzing millions of existing drugs to find anti-aging combinations. “We have identified 23 approved molecules that mimic the effects of fasting”, reveals Barzilai. “In 5 years, we will have a pill that 'trick' the body, simulating a low-calorie diet without suffering from hunger”.
If all goes well, we'll have plenty of time to talk about it again.