RUSSIAN STUDY SUGGESTS HUMAN LIFESPAN CAPPED AT 200 YEARS

A mathematical model developed by Russian scientists suggests that even if all major causes of ageing could be reversed, human lifespan would ultimately be limited to between 146 and 194 years by DNA mutations alone. The study, published in the journal NPJ Ageing, simulated an scenario in which chronic inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction and the build-up of aged cells could be eliminated, leaving only somatic mutations—DNA changes that accumulate as cells divide or suffer damage—as a limiting factor. The researchers found that a median human lifespan under these conditions would be roughly twice the current global average of 79 years.

The model revealed that different organs respond differently to DNA mutation damage. The brain and heart proved particularly vulnerable because their critical cells are irreplaceable and rarely divide after birth, whereas the liver continually replaces worn-out cells. When researchers combined simulations of various organs into a single model, the results indicated that somatic mutations alone would account for a substantial portion of natural lifespan limits.

The researchers cautioned that their findings depend heavily on assumptions about how organs interact and fail. They concluded that the gap between the simulated 146-194 year lifespan and current human longevity suggests that factors other than somatic mutations contribute significantly to limiting human lifespan. The study does not predict whether such anti-ageing treatments will be developed or become practical in future decades.