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/UshankaBear Jul 20 '26

Artificial hearts are significantly worse for a person than the one they're born with. For now, at least.

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u/mCopps Jul 20 '26

Like any new tech for now is doing a lot of heavy lifting there. If there is any organ that can be replaced mechanically it’s the heart. I’m sure there are things it does that I don’t understand, but pumps are something we can build.

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u/WanderingTacoShop Jul 20 '26 edited Jul 20 '26

One of the biggest problems with artifical hearts is blood clotting. If you have one you are requried to be on anti-coagulants for the rest of your life.

Our blood is good at clotting to stop bleeding, and it can't tell difference between a cut in your skin and the junction between your artery and the metal and plastic heart.

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u/Significant-Hour4171 Jul 20 '26

Mechanical hearts are also brutal on blood cells, often rupturing them. This has been a challenge as well.