This whale lives for centuries: its secret could help extend human lifespan
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nature Encased in a blanket of blubber that is nearly half a metre thick, and with a habit of smashing head-first through Arctic ice, the 80,000-kilogram bowhead whale does not, at first glance, seem a natural poster child for health and longevity. What’s the secret to living to 100? Centenarian stem cells could offer clues But one of the cetacean’s most impressive stats turns out to be its lifespan: sometimes living for more than 200 years, the bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) puts humanity’s prized centenarians to shame. An investigation of the animal’s cells has now surfaced one reason for the bowhead’s ability to endure for centuries without succumbing to cancer or other age-related diseases: a cold-activated protein that helps to repair broken DNA1 .
Published: October 29, 2025 4:45 pm
Source: Nature — Read original