Wasps May hold Answer to Longer Human Life

M.A. Dworkin

Leicester, England - Scientists have discovered that Jewel Wasp larvae that undergo a developmental “pause” live longer and age more slowly at the molecular level by 30%. This slowdown is tied to conserved biological pathways, hinting at possible applications for human aging. 

A study of Jewel Wasps, known for their distinctive metallic colors, by scientists at the University of Leicester, England, has shown they can undergo a kind of natural “time-out” as larvae, before emerging into adulthood, which extends their life and slows their biological aging. The discovery may very well hold the key to help delay aging in humans.

The study reveals that this pause in development within the wasp dramatically extends lifespan and decelerates the ticking of the so-called “epigenetic clock” that marks molecular aging. 

This tiny insect is becoming a powerful model for aging research because, unlike many other vertebrates, it has a functioning DNA methylation system, just like humans, and a short lifespan that makes it ideal to study. 

The researchers exposed Jewel Wasp mothers to cold and darkness, triggering a hibernation-like state in their babies called diapause. This natural “pause button” extended the offsprings’ adult lifespan by over a third. Even more remarkably, the wasps that had gone through diapause aged 29% more slowly at the molecular level than their counterparts. 

“It’s like the wasps who took a break early in life came back with extra time in the bank,” said Evolutionary Biology Professor Eamonn Mallon, senior author of the study. “It shows that aging is not set in stone. It can be slowed by the environment, even before adulthood begins.”

What makes this study novel and surprising is that it demonstrates a long-lasting, environmentally triggered slowdown of aging in a system that’s both simple and relevant to human biology. It offers compelling evidence that early life events can leave lasting marks not just on health, but on the pace of biological aging itself. 

“Understanding how and why aging happens is a major scientific challenge,” said Professor Mallon. “This study opens up new avenues for research, not just into the biology of the wasps, but into the broader question of whether we might one day design interventions to slow aging at its molecular roots. In short, this tiny wasp may hold big answers to how we can press pause on aging.”