World’s oldest person lived to 117, offering new clues to longevity

Most people never meet anyone who lives past 110. Reaching such an age is rare, almost unimaginable. Yet every so often, someone proves that human life can stretch far beyond what most of us expect.

One of those people was María Branyas Morera, from Spain. Between early 2023 and mid-2024, she held the title of the world’s oldest living person. She died at 117 years and 168 days.

Scientists studying Morera saw a chance to answer a question that fascinates everyone: why do a few people live so long while others do not?

Genes that shape health

When Morera was 116, researchers collected blood, saliva, and stool samples. Few studies have access to material from someone that old, which made the opportunity unique.

The DNA showed patterns linked to a longer lifespan in several species. It also lacked variants that usually raise the risk of cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, or other metabolic diseases.

Morera’s genes supported healthy blood chemistry. Lipid levels stayed low, protecting both her heart and her brain. The absence of harmful variants gave her an advantage that most people simply do not have.

Diet of the oldest person

The study also revealed that Morera’s metabolism worked with striking efficiency. Her cholesterol was exceptionally low. Diet explained part of this.

Morera followed a Mediterranean style of eating, rich in vegetables, fruits, legumes, and olive oil. She never smoked, never drank, and kept her meals modest.

One daily ritual stood out: three servings of plain, sugar-free yogurt. That simple habit shaped more than just her digestion. It appeared to play a role in keeping her body chemistry balanced, especially her lipid metabolism, which often becomes less efficient in old age.

The hidden power of microbes

The yogurt may have mattered in another way too. Tests showed her gut microbiome looked more like that of a much younger person.

Levels of beneficial bacteria were unusually high, particularly strains linked to reduced inflammation and healthier aging.

In most people, those microbes decline with age. In Morera, they thrived. The balance inside her gut likely helped her immune system stay strong, giving her protection against many of the chronic conditions that shorten lives.

Aging in the oldest person

Scientists also measured her biological age. They used an epigenetic clock, which tracks chemical changes in DNA that influence how genes turn on and off.

The results suggested that Morera’s body was, on average, 23 years younger than her actual age.

That meant she lived at 117 but carried the biology of someone in their early 90s. This slower aging process gave her a buffer, delaying the effects that usually appear in advanced years.

Longevity built on many factors

Morera’s case showed that no single factor explained her longevity. Genetics provided resilience. Diet shaped metabolism. Microbes supported immunity.

Even her biological clock ticked slower than normal. Put together, these advantages formed a web of protection that carried her across more than a century.

Some supercentenarians carry risky genetic traits but manage to survive despite them. Morera’s story leaned in the opposite direction: her genes and habits worked together, reducing risks instead of stacking them.

Science cannot explain everything

Still, not everything can be explained by biology. Living this long might also involve chance. Some researchers point out that avoiding accidents, infections, or sudden illness is partly luck.

Without evidence that Morera’s family also reached extreme ages, it is hard to know whether her longevity was inherited or individual. Personal choices, environment, and sheer randomness may have played equal roles.

That uncertainty makes her case fascinating but also limited. One story can guide research but cannot explain everything about aging, reminding us that each long life carries unique circumstances beyond science alone.

Aging insights for future generations

The life of María Branyas Morera shows how science can learn from the extraordinary. Her body gave clues about genetics, diet, microbes, and aging itself. Her habits reinforced those biological strengths, building a foundation that lasted for more than 117 years.

At the same time, her story reminds us that longevity is never guaranteed. It may take a mix of strong biology, careful living, and a touch of luck.

Studying people like Morera gives science a rare look into the extremes of human life – and a glimpse of what might one day be possible for more of us.

The study is published in the journal Cell Reports Medicine.

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