Nature Podcast Briefing Chat: What Brazilian centenarians could reveal about the science of ageing
Jan 30, 2026
Nick Petrich-Hound, a science communicator, discusses genetics of Brazilian centenarians and magnetically controllable proteins. Short segments cover DNA sequencing of mixed-ancestry elders and why genetics may explain extreme longevity. Then he explains engineered fluorescent proteins and maglov tools that can be tuned with magnets for remote control of protein behavior.
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Genetic Diversity May Promote Longevity
- The DNA Longevo study sequences centenarians' genomes to find genetic clues to extreme longevity.
- Researchers highlight Brazil's mixed European, African and Native American ancestry as a possible factor in resilience.
Family Ties And Late-Life Swimming
- A 106-year-old woman took up swimming at 70 and won her first competition decades later.
- Longevity appears familial: she has two sisters over 100 and a 110-year-old aunt living across Brazil.
107-Year-Old Supermarket Worker
- A 107-year-old man still works in a supermarket organizing shopping carts and moves quickly.
- Researchers nearly walked past him because his agility contradicted expectations of a centenarian.