117-Year-Old's Gut Microbiome Hints at a Youthful Core

Researchers studying María Branyas Morera, who died at 117, found her gut microbiome was dominated by Bifidobacterium (about half the community), a profile more typical of infants, and DNA methylation clocks suggested her biological age was 17–23 years younger than her actual age; the study, led by Dr. Manel Esteller at the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, indicates gut health likely plays a role in aging but cautions that no single habit—like yogurt or diet—explains extreme longevity, which also depends on genetics and lifestyle.