Blue Zones are to be recognised in a new global recording system based on two key metrics.
The initial recognitions will apply to the best-known, existing blue zones – Nicoya in Costa Rica, Okinawa in Japan (pictured above), and six villages in Sardinia’s Ogliastra region.
And, by recognising these existing Blue Zones the American Federation For Aging Research (AFAR) aims to establish a clear, scientific bar for evaluating potential new ones.
The organisation, with expertise in demography, ageing and age validation, has proposed rigorous criteria for identifying blue zones based on two benchmarks – a longevity metric and a survival metric.
It says that Blue Zones are to be recognised as places which show unusually strong longevity after age 70, and, unusually high odds of reaching 100, conditional on surviving to 70.
Researchers say both are necessary because each captures a different aspect of ‘exceptional survival’.
AFAR says its aim is to make the term Blue Zones scientifically precise and publicly understandable.
Steven Austad, AFAR scientific director, said: “The data-backed definition of a ‘Blue Zone’ will encourage scientific rigour when studying these long-lived communities.
“Today, Blue Zones offer many disciplines opportunities to learn more about the biological and social influences on living long, healthy lives.”
Mice boost
California-based biotechnology company Seragon Biosciences says its new longevity drug, SRN-901, has ‘significantly extended median remaining lifespan and attenuated frailty progression in adult mice’.
Its study highlights the potential of SRN-901 as a multi-target mechanism supporting healthy ageing and extend lifespan.
Dr David Scieszka, Seragon’s chief scientific officer, said: “The robust multi-omics findings and physiological evidence from this study reinforce the rationale for combinatorial therapeutic approaches in aging research.
“By simultaneously targeting multiple aging pathways, SRN-901 provides a coherent mechanistic framework for promoting cellular resilience, reducing frailty, and suppressing key drivers of aging-related diseases.”
Nose job
A nasal spray has been found to reverse signs of brain ageing in mouse trials, reports a new paper published in the Journal of Extracellular Vesicles.
The spray, which tackles a process typical to ageing brains called neuroinflammaging, delivered benefits within weeks.
“What we’re showing is brain ageing can be reversed, to help people stay mentally sharp, socially engaged and free from age-related decline,” said research author Dr Ashok Shetty.
The spray aims to change how carriers of genetic material called extracellular vesicles (EVs), which contain microRNAs, can reach the brain.
“MicroRNAs act like master regulators,” nasal spray researcher Dr Madhu Leelavathi Narayana said. “They help modulate and regulate many gene and signalling pathways in the brain.”
The thymus – a little-known gland sitting inside the chest next to the heart and the lungs – has emerged as potentially key to longevity.
During puberty the thymus is largely responsible for developing T cells, a critical type of white blood cell that helps fight infections.
Its role in adults, however, has largely been overlooked, in part because it shrinks, and is replaced with fat tissue, as we age.
But now a pair of new studies suggest the organ may be far more important for our long-term well-being than we thought.
In one study published in the journal Nature, researchers used artificial intelligence to analyze around 27,000 patient computed tomography (CT) scans and medical records to reveal that the health of the thymus may be linked to whether an individual develops cardiovascular disease or lung cancer, or dies from any cause.
And in a related study also published in Nature it reports that, among cancer patients receiving immunotherapy, those who had a healthier thymus tended to have better treatment outcomes.
Food for thought
In a series of recent studies, teams of microbiologists and ageing researchers identified previously unknown bacterial strains that were more prevalent in individuals who lived beyond 90 years.
The gut bacteria longevity research focused on the metabolic activity of these microbes. They discovered that certain bacteria contribute to higher levels of short-chain fatty acids, such as butyrate, which has been linked to improved intestinal health and reduced age-related decline.
These microbes also appear to support immune system balance, enabling ageing individuals to resist infection and stress more effectively.
While the exact mechanisms remain under investigation, researchers believe these bacteria influence the gut-brain axis, regulating signals related to stress, mood, and cognition, factors all associated with longevity.
According to ongoing gut-bacteria, longevity research, individuals who follow diverse, plant-based diets tend to have more resilient microbiomes.
Prebiotic-rich foods such as garlic, onions, bananas, and whole grains provide fibre that feeds beneficial bacteria.
Fermented foods like yogurt, kimchi, miso, and kefir contain live cultures that introduce new healthy bacteria into the system.
Polyphenol-rich foods such as berries, green tea, and dark chocolate help prevent inflammation and oxidative stress in the gut environment.
Researchers continue to emphasise that a nutrient-dense, varied diet is one of the strongest predictors of microbial diversity, a key factor linked with better health and longer lifespan.