THE secret to a long life may be within our grasp. We are close to
pinpointing the genes that determine how fast we age—a discovery that
would open the door to developing drugs that slow the ageing process.
Only a few people live to 100 or more, and anecdotal evidence suggests that
the trait for longevity runs in families. But no one knows if specific genes
predispose people to live to extreme old age. To find out, Annibale Puca of the
Howard Hughes Medical Institute in Boston recruited 137 sets of siblings where
one was at least 98 years…
