Study Reveals Long-Lost Secrets to Longevity Found in Bowhead Whales

The bowhead whale can live for two centuries

With a life expectancy which slightly exceeds 73 years according to longevityalliance.org, Humans are among the longest-lived mammals.

Some people can even live beyond 100 years. The current longevity record is held by Frenchwoman Jeanne Calment, who lived 122 years and 164 days (1875-1997). A figure that seems surprisingly low compared to the more than 200 years that the bowhead whale is capable of reaching.

This species, which lives mainly in cold Arctic waters, has the longest lifespan in the mammal family. If this ability to live for two centuries has long been a fascinating mystery, researchers have finally obtained some answers.

The secret lies in repairing their DNA

In a study published on October 29, 2025 in the journal Naturethe research team explains that the secret of the bowhead whale's longevity lies in its DNA, more precisely in its repair.

Every living being sees its DNA damaged throughout its life, due to numerous internal and external attacks, such as replication errors, UV and ionizing rays, chemicals or even viruses and bacteria.

Cells try to correct DNA damage, but these repairs are not always perfect. Over time, mutations accumulate, increasing the risk of cancer and contributing to aging by disrupting the normal functioning of cells and tissues.

But the researchers, who carried out a series of experiments on whale cells, discovered that this step is often very successful. It is carried out thanks to a protein called CIRBP, the production of which is activated by exposure to cold, which promotes DNA repair.

A faculty within the reach of humans?

“This strategy, which does not eliminate damaged cells but faithfully repairs them, could contribute to the exceptional longevity and low incidence of cancer in bowhead whales,” the researchers said in their study.

The CIRBP protein therefore seems to be the key to having a long life. And what is interesting is that it is also present in humans, but its production is 100 times lower than that of bowhead whales, specifies The Guardian.

But can having a higher production of CIRBP protein make us live longer? This is what the research team is currently working on by breeding mice with an increase in CIRBP levels in order to observe their life expectancy.

Additionally, because the production of these proteins is stimulated by cold, researchers now want to know whether people who regularly take cold showers or swim in icy waters have higher than average levels of CIRBP protein.

However, improving our cells' ability to repair DNA is no easy feat, says Gabriel Balmus, a professor who studies DNA damage and repair at the UK's Dementia Research Institute at the University of Cambridge.

“Translating this to humans will be far from simple and will require finding a balance between resilience and the body's natural limits of renewal,” he declared in comments reported by The Guardian.

Source: The Guardian