Scientists reveal secrets of ex-world's oldest person’s lifespan

Maria Branyas Morera, a woman born in the US, was the world's oldest person until her death in Spain last year, aged 117. She attributed her longevity to "luck and good genetics", and it seems she was right, The Guardian reports.

A study of Branya's microbiome and DNA, which scientists began before her death, has found that the genes she inherited allowed her cells to feel and behave as if they were 17 years younger. Her microbiota - the bacteria in her gut that play a role in the body's health - was similar to that of a baby, according to research led by University of Barcelona genetics professor Manel Esteller, CE Report quotes Kosova Press.

Ara newspaper, which covers the Catalan region where she spent most of her life, first reported the results of the study on Branyas’ “privileged genome.” Esteller’s team found that Branyas maintained mental clarity until the end of her life.

The health problems she had during her long years of life were mainly joint pain and hearing loss.

Esteller and his colleagues hope that this study will provide valuable information for those seeking to develop drugs and treatments for age-related diseases. They said that Branyas shows that aging and disease are not always linked, at least in some circumstances.

Branyas, born in 1907, has lived through several major global events, including the Spanish Civil War, World War II, the 1918 flu pandemic and COVID-19.

She became known worldwide after contracting COVID-19 in 2020, when Spain was one of the countries most affected by the virus and protective vaccines were not yet available. However, she survived COVID-19 without symptoms and recovered easily.

Branyas received recognition from Guinness World Records as the world's oldest person in January 2023, following the death of French nun Lucile Randon, aged 118. When asked by the Guinness organization to reflect on her longevity, Branyas said she attributes it to "order, calm, good connection with family and friends, contact with nature, emotional stability, no worries, no regrets, a lot of positivity and being away from toxic people."

"I think longevity is also luck," added Branyas, who spoke in her later years through a voice-activated writing device. "Luck and good genetics."

She was a widowed mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, and died on August 19 in a nursing home in the city of Olot, in northeastern Spain, where she spent the last two decades of her life.

As reported by the website LongeviQuest, the oldest person in the world now is Inah Canabarro Lucas from Brazil, 116 years old.