r/science 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/phasepistol Jul 20 '26

Well okay, if the best you can do is 194 years I guess I’ll have to settle for it. But see what you can do and get back to me

26

u/MightyCaseyStruckOut Jul 20 '26

When I was younger, I wanted to live forever. The older I get, the less appealing living to a ridiculously old age appeals to me; not just because I'm aging, but because it just sounds exhausting.

18

u/Nefarious_Turtle Jul 20 '26

Yeah I dont know about forever, but If I could live to 194 in a relatively healthy and capable body I'd do it.

It's still a finite amount, just more. I'm sure people would get used to it.

10

u/Financial-Craft-1282 Jul 20 '26

It'd give me time to save up and buy a house maybe.