More Weird Science

TMI is an acronym for "too much information" and that characterizes the genetic test described in this article in The Independent (U.K.). Looking at things called "telomeres" which are said to be on the tips of one's chromosomes, it can supposedly tell you whether you are likely to live longer than normal for someone your age, or less long.

The longer your telomeres, the longer you'll live. Supposedly it is related to the rate at which you body deteriorates, somewhat independent of actual age.

What the article doesn't tell us is whether this vital length is influenced by your lifestyle, or inherited. The inference is that it is inherited, which is sensible. We know that, ceteris paribus, parents' lifespans are reasonable predictors of children's longevities.