Fly fountain of youth

Hanging out with younger flies helps mutated fruit flies stay young

Make room in the pool, Wilford Brimley. Some fruit flies have discovered their own version of a youth-anizing “cocoon”: younger flies.

Researchers from the University of Iowa report in the May 27 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that some fruit flies with mutations in a gene that encodes an antioxidant enzyme can live a longer life simply by living with young flies that do not carry the mutation.