Some attribute it to luck, others to a cup of tea every day – but the secret to living to 100 may be hidden in our DNA, a new scientific study suggests.
According to research, people who live over a century have more DNA inherited from prehistoric hunter-gatherers, compared to the rest of the population.
The researchers analyzed the genetic makeup of over 1,000 Italians, 333 of whom were over 100 years old. The results were then compared to ancient genomes from prehistoric groups, including Bronze Age herders and Neolithic farmers from the Middle East.
The analysis showed that people who had reached the age of 100 carried more genes associated with Western European Hunter-Gatherers (WHG), a population that lived around 9,000–14,000 years ago, after the Ice Age.
This ancient group was known for their dark skin, light eyes, and powerful bodies, while their way of life was based on hunting and gathering a variety of natural resources – roots, nuts, deer, and other seasonal foods, in an increasingly warm climate.
"Our analyses showed for the first time that individuals with exceptional longevity have a stronger genetic connection to WHG ancestry," the authors write in the scientific journal GeroScience.
"In particular, we discovered a greater contribution of this genetic heritage in Italians over 100 years old, suggesting that this pre-Neolithic component may still be beneficial for longevity today."
Researchers from the University of Bologna pointed out that people over 100 carried a significantly higher number of mutations associated with hunter-gatherers, while no other genetic background was clearly linked to longer life.
However, the biological mechanisms behind this discovery remain unclear and require further study, as it is not yet known exactly how this DNA affects longevity.
The legacy of hunter-gatherers in human history
Hunting and gathering have played a key role in human history, with evidence showing that this way of life has existed for around two million years.
Before this became the dominant way of life, early humans were primarily scavengers, feeding on the remains of predators, wild plants, insects, and honey.
Hunter-gatherer groups were usually small – from extended families to bands of around 100 people – and moved frequently due to the need for large territories.
Although agriculture became widespread around 12,000 years ago, many hunter-gatherer behaviors survived into modern times. In fact, 500 years ago, such groups still existed in parts of Europe and throughout the Americas.
Today, these communities are very rare, with the Hadza people in Tanzania considered one of the last groups still living according to this traditional model.
Who was the "Cheddar Man"?
One of the most famous hunter-gatherers is Cheddar Man, whose skeleton was discovered in 1903 in Gough's Cave, in Somerset, Britain.
He lived around 10,000 years ago and is considered the oldest nearly complete skeleton of Homo sapiens ever found in Britain.
Scientists believe his diet consisted of seeds, nuts, red deer, aurochs (giant wild cows) and freshwater fish. A large hole in his skull suggests he died violently, perhaps in his twenties.
Genetically, Cheddar Man belonged to the same group of Western Hunter-Gatherers, whose ancestors had migrated from the Middle East after the Ice Age. Today, about 10% of white Britons are descended from this group.
Lifespan today: genes and lifestyle
Thanks to advances in science and healthcare, today more people than ever are living past 100 years old.
According to the latest figures, in 2024 over 16,600 people in the UK were 100 years old or over – more than double the number in 2004. Women were almost four and a half times more likely to be in this age group than men.
The longest-lived person ever documented was Frenchwoman Jeanne Louise Calment, who lived to be 122 years and 164 days old. She attributed her longevity to a simple philosophy:
"I never argue with anyone. I listen and do what I want."
Experts who have studied longevity agree that factors such as physical activity, faith, love, companionship, and a sense of purpose are essential. These elements form the basis of so-called “Blue Zones” – regions where people regularly live to be over 100.
Even simple activities, like daily walking, have been shown to increase longevity, while studies consistently show that loneliness is detrimental to life. /GazetaExpress/
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