Imagine witnessing the world transform over more than a century: from horse-drawn carriages to self-driving cars! That was the extraordinary life of Maria Branyas Morera, a woman who lived to be 117 years old, holding the title of the world’s oldest confirmed person when she passed away in 2024.
Scientists, eager to understand her secret, asked why her vigor lasted so many decades. They peeled back layer after layer, inspecting her genes, her blood, her gut microbes, even the minute chemical marks on her DNA that tune the aging clock. A project this exhaustive bears a name: a “multiomics” study, a bit like listening to each separate instrument before the full orchestra strikes its chord.
Her Genes Were Special and Protective
Scientists discovered that her DNA held special changes, tiny differences in her genes that most people never carry. These peculiar bits seemed to shield her from illnesses like heart trouble, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s. Some of her genes kept her immune system resilient, her mind quick, and her heart youthful. Even her mitochondria, the “power stations” inside her cells, ran more efficiently than those in many younger people.
Curiously, her chromosome tips, called telomeres, were extremely short, normally a badge of advanced age. Yet she stayed vigorous anyway! The researchers suspect her body somehow adjusted, showing that short telomeres do not always spell poor health.
Her Blood Told a Story of Balance
When scientists looked closely at her blood, they spotted a marvel: Her immune network looked aged yet fought on with vigor. She carried rare T cells and B cells that stood guard with power, even at 117. She maintained a low level of inflammation, and that matters because chronic inflammation make people age faster.
Her cholesterol and fats sat in flawless harmony. She boasted plenty of “good cholesterol” (HDL) and just a speck of “bad cholesterol” (VLDL and triglycerides). This friendly blend shielded her heart and brain. In short, her blood chemistry mirrored that of someone far younger.
Her Gut Was Young, Too
Inside her belly, the diverse community of helpful bacteria in the microbiome appeared strikingly young and vibrant. She carried plenty of “good” bacteria named Bifidobacterium, tiny organisms normally present in babies and very young adults. These hardy microbes calm inflammation and boost digestion.
Her Cells Thought She Was Decades Younger
Though she had lived 117 years, her biological age (how old her cells “felt”) looked far younger, roughly 94 on tests! Her DNA stayed steady and well protected, unlike that of many elders. It is as if her body discovered a hidden brake, letting its inner clock crawl rather than rush, stalling time’s toll.
The Future of Aging
Scientists now think that someday we could turn these insights into tools that let everyone grow older with grace, not to chase immortality, but to stay vigorous, joyful, alive.
Observing people like Maria hands researchers clues to craft new therapies and diets that may keep our cells young from core to skin.
Source:https://www.cell.com/cell-reports-medicine/fulltext/S2666-3791(25)00441-0