The average life expectancy of a person, according to modern estimates, is 80 years, while only a few other primates manage to live to at least fifty. Spanish specialists from the Institute of Evolutionary Biology have tried to find out exactly what the longevity of the "kings of nature" is due to at the genetic level.

Scientists note that the common ancestors of humans and macaques lived about 30 years ago, but today people live about three times as much. This means that by the standards of evolutionary changes the life expectancy of people increased quite rapidly. To understand why this happened, the experts compared the available data on the DNA of humans, gorillas, chimpanzees and many other primates. According to the received data, human longevity can be caused by 25 genetic mutations. They, including, affected genes, whose work involves the functioning of the cardiovascular system and the process of wound healing.

Experts suggest that genes that in some way affect the life expectancy of people are significantly larger, but the data obtained can also be valuable. In particular, according to scientists, new information will help to better study the mechanisms themselves, which are beyond limiting the life span of organisms, transfers sciencealert. com.

The study was published in the scientific publication Molecular Biology and Evolution.

To date, there are two popular theories trying to explain why certain species live a certain amount of time.

According to one of the assumptions, the key role in this respect is played by the rate of metabolism - the more leisurely it is, the greater the average life expectancy. According to another theory, individuals live for as long as necessary so that they leave a sufficient number of offspring. In this case, two hypotheses may not be mutually exclusive, but merely describing two factors that take place.

"Actual news".

Source: News Yu.

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