Science thought the human lifespan was 122 years. A new model says we could live decades longer. - Yahoo

What the report says

Upworthy reported that a July 2026 paper in the journal npj Aging proposes a higher theoretical ceiling for human lifespan than the roughly 122-year limit often cited in longevity discussions. The article notes that the world’s oldest living person, Ethel Caterham of the United Kingdom, is 116, according to Guinness World Records, and contrasts that with the new model’s suggestion that humans might be capable of reaching about 156 years under certain biological assumptions.

The paper, by Russian researchers Evgeniy Efimov, Vlad Fedotov and Leonid Malaev, focuses on somatic mutations — DNA changes that build up in cells over a lifetime through environmental exposure and replication errors. Upworthy reported that the researchers modeled what human longevity might look like if the effects of those mutations were removed. The result was not a demonstrated treatment or prediction for current lifespans, but an estimate of potential lifespan if one major aging mechanism could be controlled.

The article emphasizes that the brain and heart are central to the question because key tissues in those organs, including neurons and cardiomyocytes, do not readily regenerate. It cited outside experts who said the study helps quantify the role of DNA damage while underscoring that aging involves many other processes, including mitochondrial dysfunction, epigenetic changes, telomere shortening and problems maintaining proteins.

The findings matter because they point longevity research toward protecting or repairing damage in nonrenewable tissues, rather than implying that extreme lifespan extension is already possible. Upworthy also noted standard health guidance from the National Institutes of Health, including avoiding smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, sleeping well, vaccination, preventive screenings, and treating high blood pressure and cholesterol.