Doctors analyze the DNA of a 117-year-old to discover one food that may help people live longer.

This hints at a nuanced decoupling of aging biology — where markers of age do not necessarily translate to disease vulnerability — a phenomenon that researchers believe could inform future therapeutic strategies aimed at promoting healthy aging.

Life Lessons from a Supercentenarian

Maria Branyas Morera’s life is a testament to resilience — not just biological resilience, but emotional and social resilience.

She often spoke about the importance of order, tranquility, strong family bonds, connection with nature, and emotional stability as cornerstones of her long life.

She said that avoiding “toxic people” and living with positivity were part of what allowed her to thrive.

Her daughter, Rosa Moret, once noted that her mother had never been hospitalized, never broken a bone, and spent her final years pain‑free — a rarity for someone of such advanced age.

A Legacy That Transcends Time

Although Maria Branyas Morera’s life ended in August 2024, her legacy lives on — not just as a record in the annals of human longevity, but as a scientific resource and a symbol of what human life can encompass when biology, lifestyle, and environment align.

Her story reminds us that longevity is not about a single secret or magic bullet, but rather the convergence of genetics, habits, environment, and meaningful human connection.

In a time when aging populations are increasing worldwide, the lessons gleaned from Branyas’s life could inform new approaches to healthy aging — from better understanding of genetic factors to new biomarkers that distinguish between chronological age and biological health.

As researchers continue to publish and analyse data from her extensive study, Maria’s life will remain a benchmark for gerontologists, physicians, and anyone curious about the boundaries of human life.

She showed the world that old age does not inevitably mean disease, decline, or isolation — and that with curiosity and compassion, science can learn not only how long we can live, but how well.