I'm Flor Lichtenen, and you're listening to Science Friday.

Today in the podcast, what does it take to make it to 80, 90, even 100 years old without slowing down?

Researchers are studying these older achievers.

What can we learn from them?

Most people that I know can think of an aunt's uncle neighbor or friend who is thriving.

Say, oh, you'd never believe they're 80 years old.

They're running circles around me.

We're going to talk about super ages.

Super ages are those rare seniors who get to old age, but somehow they stay young,

just like the golden girls did. And no cognitive decline for this group, no napping away the

golden years. I had one in my family. Can I cut in? Yes. I would like to hear about your super

ageer. Can we honor her? My mother, who lived a 99 plus, and she never considered herself to be old.

She used to say, you know, all these old people around me, I don't feel old.

And I remember being with her in the drugstore at the card counter, where she was arguing

with the clerk because they didn't have a card for her Scrabble

player buddy who was 102. Another superager. And you have one in your family, right? Yes. My grandmother,

Flora Sr., lived to 100, was completely with it all the way out reading, outdoing, out holding court until the very end

and an inspiration. If I inherit like 1% of her genes, I would be grateful. I'm with you on this.

And because of all of the scientists are studying these selected seniors to figure out what's so special about them.

Is it the genes?

Are they just lucky?

Is there some attitude?

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