Bowhead whales live longer thanks to mutation that also shrinks testes
We could have found one of many key causes for the extraordinary lifespans of bowhead whales, which might stay for greater than 200 years
Life
23 September 2022
Bowhead whales are the longest-lived mammals recognized, with one male estimated to have been about 211 years previous when it was killed by hunters. Now it has been discovered they’ve a gene duplication that seems to sluggish the division of cells, permitting the whales to stay longer – however at the price of lowered male fertility.
The lengthy lifetime of bowheads might be a results of many genetic modifications, however this one could also be particularly essential, says Vincent Lynch of the …