The heritability of human lifespan is roughly 50%, once external mortality is addressed

Summary author: Walter Beckwith

2026-01-29

(Press-News.org) An analysis of twin cohort data suggests that human life span is far more heritable than previously believed. The findings of the analysis show that once deaths from external factors, such as accidents or infectious disease, are accounted for, genetics may explain ~50% of how long we live. “[T]he study … has important consequences for aging research,” write Daniela Bakula and Morten Scheibye-Knudsen in a related Perspective. “A substantial genetic contribution strengthens the rationale for large-scale efforts to identify longevity-associated variants, refine polygenic risk scores, and link genetic differences to specific biological pathways that regulate aging.” Understanding the heritability of human life span is a central question in aging research, yet measuring the genetic influence on longevity remains challenging. Although some genes linked to life span have been identified, external environmental forces, such as disease or living conditions, exert a powerful influence on how long someone lives and often obscure or confound potential genetic effects. Moreover, previous studies have produced widely varying estimates of human life-span heritability, fueling skepticism about the role of genetics in aging. These conclusions are striking, given that life span is far more heritable in laboratory mice and that most human physiological traits show much more genetic determination. According to Ben Shenhar and colleagues, this discrepancy may arise from overlooked confounders in previous research, particularly the heavy burden of “extrinsic” mortality – deaths due to external causes – in the historical populations that underpin these studies. These external causes of death likely dilute the measurable impact of genetics, which primarily shapes “intrinsic” mortality driven by aging and internal biological decline.

Shenhar et al. used mathematical models, simulations of human mortality, and multiple large-scale twin cohort datasets to disentangle intrinsic and extrinsic sources of death. According to the findings, extrinsic mortality systematically depresses estimates of life-span heritability. Once deaths from external causes are properly accounted for, the authors show that the genetic contribution to human life span rises dramatically to roughly 55% – more than double previous estimates – suggesting that genetics is a central force in human aging. These revised estimates align human life span with the heritability of most other complex physiological traits and with the life-span heritability observed in other species.

END

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Tracking Finland’s ice fishers reveals how social information guides foraging decisions

2026-01-29

By tracking anglers during real-world ice fishing competitions in Finland, a new study shows that human foragers – previously thought to be solitary decision makers – rely heavily on social information in shaping decisions. When anglers discovered where competitors fished, how long they stayed, and when they moved on, they were strongly influenced in their own behaviors. The findings offer an empirical framework for understanding how groups collectively adapt to changes in environmental conditions and changes in resource availability. Humans occupy an unusually demanding foraging niche compared with other species – one shaped by unique ecological ...

DNA-protein crosslinks promote inflammation-linked premature aging and embryonic lethality in mice

2026-01-29

Unrepaired DNA-protein crosslinks (DPCs) – highly toxic tangles of protein and DNA – cause a process that leads to premature aging and embryonic lethality in mice. The findings reveal a previously unrecognized link between defective DNA repair and immune-driven inflammatory disease. They also suggest that targeting innate immune signaling may offer a therapeutic strategy for human disorders like Ruijs-Aalfs progeria syndrome (RJALS), which are caused by defective DPC repair. DPCs form when proteins become covalently trapped to DNA. These harmful knots block essential cellular processes, including DNA replication and transcription. ...

Accounting for fossil energy’s “minimum viable scale” is central to decarbonization

2026-01-29

In a Policy Forum, Joshua Lappen and Emily Grubert discuss the unseen infrastructural threats that may arise as fossil energy systems are phased out. According to the authors, acknowledging and planning for limits in the “minimum viable scale” of fossil fuel systems is essential to achieving a safe, just, and credible transition to a low-carbon energy future. The global energy transition relies on two parallel processes – building new low-carbon systems while carefully winding down the fossil-fuel infrastructure ...

Immunotherapy reduces plaque in arteries of mice

2026-01-29

Scientists have designed an immunotherapy that reduces plaque in the arteries of mice, presenting a possible new treatment strategy against heart disease. The antibody-based therapy could complement traditional methods of managing coronary artery disease that focus on lowering cholesterol through diet or medications such as statins, according to the findings of a new study led by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Such an immunotherapy could especially help patients who already have plaque in their coronary arteries ...

Using AI to retrace the evolution of genetic control elements in the brain

2026-01-29

Artificial intelligence allows tracing the evolution of genetic control elements in the developing mammalian cerebellum. An international research team led by biologists from Heidelberg University as well as the Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie and KU Leuven (Belgium) has now developed advanced AI models that can predict the activity of these elements based solely on their DNA sequence. Using these models, the scientists were able to retrace the evolutionary changes in the control programs, also identifying those that are specific to the human lineage. Genetic control elements are DNA sequences that determine where and when genes are switched on. Changes ...

New 3D printing method makes affordable, realistic replicas as structurally complex as a human hand

2026-01-29

Researchers have developed a new method for 3D printing objects with very different properties, including levels of hardness and transparency, on a pixel-by-pixel basis while using commonly available materials and inexpensive 3D printers. The method, described today in the journal Science by researchers from The University of Texas at Austin, Sandia National Laboratories and two other national laboratories, could lend itself to the creation of realistic models of body parts for medical students to practice surgery on or new types of personal ...

Direct imaging captures the crystalline vibrations of a supersolid made of atoms and light

2026-01-29

The 20th century was marked by the discovery of exotic states of matter. First, liquid helium was observed to flow without friction at extremely low temperatures, a phase now known as superfluid. Soon after, it was also discovered that, under appropriate external conditions, some materials can conduct electricity without resistance; these materials were therefore named superconductors. Later, in the 1960s, scientists added the idea of supersolids to the list: in this state of matter, atoms would flow without friction ...

What ice-fishing competitions reveal about human decision-making

2026-01-29

The international research team used GPS watches and wearable cameras to observe the behavior of 74 experienced ice fishers during competitions in eastern Finland. Across 477 fishing trips on ten different lakes, they recorded more than 16,000 decisions about where to fish and when to leave a location. Using these high-resolution movement and contextual data, the scientists built computational models to understand the underlying decision-making processes. Social information as a compass—but not always The analysis shows ...

Scientists solve the mystery of why termite kings and queens are monogamous

2026-01-29

Termites are among the most successful animals on Earth, forming vast societies that can number in the millions. But how did such complex social systems evolve from solitary ancestors that looked much like today’s cockroaches? New research from the University of Sydney has uncovered a surprising answer: termites didn’t become more socially complex by gaining new genes, but by losing them – including genes linked to sperm competition. The findings shed new light on the long-standing question of whether monogamy ...

New poll: most Americans would consider a plant-based alternative to chicken wings during Super Bowl

2026-01-29

WASHINGTON, D.C. — It is estimated that Americans will consume 1.48 billion chicken wings during the Super Bowl, but a new Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine/Morning Consult poll finds that most Americans, 56%, would consider trying a plant-based alternative such as Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Bites while watching the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks on Feb. 8. “You can score a touchdown for your health this Super Bowl by passing on chicken wings, cheesy dips, and meaty chili and instead ...

Turning agricultural waste into advanced materials: Review highlights how torrefaction could power a sustainable carbon future

Pollen counts can be predicted by machine learning models using meteorological data with more than 80% accuracy even a week ahead, for both grass and birch tree pollen, which could be key in effective

Rewriting our understanding of early hominin dispersal to Eurasia

Rising simultaneous wildfire risk compromises international firefighting efforts

Honey bee "dance floors" can be accurately located with a new method, mapping where in the hive forager bees perform waggle dances to signal the location of pollen and nectar for their nestmates

The heritability of human lifespan is roughly 50%, once external mortality is addressed

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES: