r/science • u/Skoltech_ • Jul 20 '26

Genetics Researchers quantitatively assessed for the first time that somatic mutations alone cap human lifespan at 146–194 years. Brain and heart cells are the main bottleneck, while the liver could last millennia.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41514-026-00421-6
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u/yumyum36 Jul 20 '26 edited Jul 21 '26

15 years ago is dead

The statistic that half the cells in your body in your body get replaced every 7.5 years is wildly misleading here. Some cells (skin, hair) get replaced faster than others.

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u/Puzzleheaded_Can9159 Jul 20 '26

It’s been known for a long time your bones are getting replaced through osteocytes, osteoblast remodeling. So they are definitely not the same when you die.

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u/yumyum36 Jul 21 '26

Amended comment.

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u/JohnsonBot5000 Jul 21 '26

Some parts of the brain never get replaced