Genetic influence on lifespan: A long-running question in ageing research is how much of lifespan is “in the genes” versus shaped by life circumstances. For years, the standard view was that lifespan heritability in humans was modest, often quoted around 20–25%, and in some newer analyses, even lower.
A new study from the Weizmann Institute of Science, published in Science, argues that estimate has been seriously understated. The researchers report that genetics may account for roughly half of the variation in human lifespan. The work was led by Ben Shenhar in the lab of Uri Alon.
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Their central point is that older datasets were heavily “noised up” by deaths that had little to do with biological ageing, such as accidents, infections, and other external hazards. Because historical records often lacked clear cause-of-death detail, those extrinsic deaths were mixed in with ageing-related mortality, pulling heritability estimates down.
To get around that, the team used mathematical modelling, including simulated “virtual twins”, and re-analysed large Nordic twin datasets, including twins raised apart, to better separate ageing-driven deaths from external ones.
The authors say the revised estimate puts lifespan in the same ballpark as other complex traits, and strengthens the case for hunting specific gene variants tied to longevity, not as destiny, but as a way to understand ageing biology and, eventually, target it more effectively.