The lifespan secret: why giraffes live longer than ferrets

It is well known that Somatic mutations - mutations in our body’s genetic code that accumulate over time - can cause cancer, but their broader role in ageing is less clear

Now a team of researchers have measured the somatic mutation rates of a range of mammals and discovered a striking correlation between mutation rate and lifespan. Lending evidence to the theory that somatic mutations are a cause of ageing rather than a result of it.

Read the paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-04618-z

CORRECTION: at 00:09, 01:40 and 06:09 a stylised animated DNA strand is shown. Although not intended to be an accurate depiction of DNA - the strand is shown with the wrong 'handedness'. The DNA should be 'right-handed'.

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Видео The lifespan secret: why giraffes live longer than ferrets канала nature video