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A 117-year-old woman revealed that extreme longevity can occur despite systemic aging.

Genetic analysis found no single longevity gene explaining the woman's extraordinary lifespan.

The woman studied had a favorable lipid profile and a remarkably diverse gut microbiome.

Humans have always feared death, so one of our biggest dreams throughout history has been eternal life. Many cultures have told similar mythical stories about "fountains of youth" that heroes immersed themselves in to achieve immortality.

However, humans are intelligent and have since realized that escaping death is impossible. Therefore, we've begun to seek approaches to extend our lives as much as we can, and this search has continued into modern medicine. Thanks to medical advances, we have the longest lifespan among any human group in history.

But these achievements have still not been enough, and we've continued our efforts. The study of people who live longer than usual—especially beyond 100 years—has become a hot topic for curious scientists.

Lessons we learn from studying supercentenarians

A recent study of a 117-year-old supercentenarian woman revealed new insights into the aging process.

María Branyas Morera was born to Spanish parents in San Francisco on March 4, 1907. She was the oldest verified person in the world when she died. Before she died, scientists collected blood, urine, saliva, and stool samples from her and performed a series of highly advanced examinations (a........

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