Scientists have been studying the ageing processes of mammals from humans to mice to giraffes
The mystery of why humans die around 80, while other mammals live far shorter or longer lives, may finally have been solved by scientists.
Humans and animals die after amassing a similar number of genetic mutations, researchers have found, suggesting that the speed of DNA errors is critical in determining the lifespan of a species.
There are huge variations in the lifespan of mammals in the animal kingdom, from South Asian rats which live for just six months, to bowhead whales which can survive for 200 years.
Previously experts have suggested that size is the key to longevity, with smaller animals burning up energy more quickly, requiring a faster cell turnover, which causes a speeder decline.
But a new study from the Wellcome Sanger Institute in Cambridge, suggests it is the speed of genetic damage that could be the key to survival, with long-living animals successfully slowing down their rate of DNA mutations, regardless of their size.
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