The idea of humans living to 150 sounds like science fiction, but recent Chinese research is helping scientists understand why our bodies age and, potentially, how some aspects of ageing might be slowed.
Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences have been developing sophisticated “clocks” of biological ageing. In a study published in Cell in 2026, a Chinese research team analysed more than 240 physiological, imaging and molecular measurements from 2,019 healthy people aged 18 to 91. The aim is to create a much more detailed picture of how different organs and systems age, rather than treating ageing as a single process.
One particularly intriguing target is the so-called “zombie cell”. These are better known scientifically as senescent cells. They stop dividing but do not necessarily die. As they accumulate, they can release inflammatory signals and contribute to tissue damage and diseases associated with ageing. Crucially, however, they are not simply useless cells. Senescence can help with wound healing and can prevent damaged cells from becoming cancerous.
That creates an important challenge. Scientists cannot simply remove every senescent cell. The goal is to understand which cells should be eliminated, when, and how, potentially using future drugs known as senolytics.
Chinese researchers are also contributing to broader efforts to measure biological age and identify interventions that could extend healthspan, the years spent healthy and independent. Meanwhile, researchers worldwide are investigating other limits on longevity, including accumulated DNA mutations.
But the leap from these discoveries to routinely living until 150 is enormous. The verified human longevity record remains 122 years, and experts stress that today’s interventions can extend healthy life only by far smaller amounts.
If scientists eventually manage to add several healthy decades to human life, the consequences would extend far beyond medicine. Retirement ages, pensions, inheritance, housing, careers and family structures could all be transformed. A 100-year career might become possible, while societies would need to rethink how generations share resources and opportunities.
The biggest question may therefore not be whether humans can live to 150, but whether we can build a society capable of supporting people who do.