What Scientists Found Inside a 117-Year-Old Woman Reveals New Clues to Long Life

Researchers studied Maria Branyas, the world’s oldest verified person before her death at 117, to understand the biology of extreme longevity.

They found both clear aging markers, including short telomeres and clonal hematopoiesis, and protective traits such as favorable genetics and low inflammation.

Her lipid profile, gut microbiome, and epigenetic measures also looked unusually healthy, with a biological age younger than her chronological age.

The findings suggest exceptional longevity can coexist with biological aging, helping explain why some supercentenarians avoid major age-related disease.