A C. elegans mutant that lives twice as long as wild type

Researchers changed a gene in C. elegans, a tiny roundworm commonly used in laboratory studies. The altered worms, called mutants, were compared with normal worms. The mutants lived about twice as long as normal worms, although they developed more slowly. The changed gene affects insulin-like signals, chemical messages that help control growth and how the body uses energy.

What this means for you: This is an important finding in worms, but it does not show that changing the same gene can extend human life. There is no proven product or treatment for people based on this result, so you can ignore longevity claims built on it alone.