2 August 2012 Last updated at 12:50 ET <\/p>\n
Scientists believe they have discovered a clue to why women tend to live longer than men - by studying fruit flies. <\/p>\n
Writing in Current Biology, they focus on mutations in mitochondrial DNA - the power source of cells. <\/p>\n
Mitochondria are inherited only from mothers, never from fathers, so there is no way to weed out mutations that damage a male's prospects. <\/p>\n
But one ageing expert said there were many factors that explained the gender difference in life expectancy. <\/p>\n
By the age of 85, there are approximately six women for every four men in the UK, and by 100 the ratio is more than two to one. <\/p>\n
And females outlive males in many other species. <\/p>\n
In the research, experts from Australia's Monash University and the UK's Lancaster University analysed the mitochondria of 13 different groups of male and female fruit flies. <\/p>\n
Mitochondria, which exist in almost all animal cells, convert food into the energy that powers the body. <\/p>\n
I certainly don't think this is a discovery that explains why women live five-to-six years longer than men <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Read the rest here: 2 August 2012 Last updated at 12:50 ET Scientists believe they have discovered a clue to why women tend to live longer than men - by studying fruit flies. Writing in Current Biology, they focus on mutations in mitochondrial DNA - the power source of cells. Mitochondria are inherited only from mothers, never from fathers, so there is no way to weed out mutations that damage a male's prospects. Continue reading
\nDNA clue to why women live longer<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"