Female Animals Live Longer Than Male Animals

DISCOVERIES The Unequal Sands of Time An old adage dictates that females live longer than males, and that’s true not only for humans, according to a new study. Scientists analyzed data from multiple studies on 134 animal populations and 101 species, including lions and orca and discovered that the female advantage in longevity is seen in other mammal species, Smithsonian Magazine reported. The results showed that among 60 percent of the studied populations, females lived longer. On average, female mammals have lifespans 18.6 percent longer than their male counterparts. In humans, women live on average 7.8 percent longer than men. A range of factors, such as the environment and biology, could contribute to this disparity, the team explained. They noted that male mammals’ bodies devote “substantial” resources toward the “growth and maintenance of secondary sexual traits,” which might make them more sensitive to environmental conditions. For example, male and female bighorn sheep living in areas where resources were plentiful had no difference in lifespans. However, in areas where winters were particularly harsh, the males had shorter lifespans. There are still a lot of lingering questions as to what conditions determine longevity in humans and other mammals, but the authors hope that further research will unravel the “evolutionary roots and physiology underlying aging in both sexes.” Correction: In Friday’s DISCOVERY section, we cited CBS News’ report in our “A Sunbreak” item, which said that Hodgkin’s lymphoma is an untreatable type of blood cancer. It is in fact treatable with a very high survival rate. We apologize for the error.

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