Scientists believe these insects can undergo a ‘time-out’ on ageing
Using insects to ‘pause ageing’ may sound like something straight out of a science fiction movie. But specialists now claim a specific bug could potentially do just that, amidst new research that is certainly not for the squeamish.
The new study, led by the University of Leicester, examined a species called the ‘jewel wasp’, which is thought to have first arrived in the UK in 1998. While these wasps do not sport the familiar yellow and black exoskeleton we are accustomed to, do not be fooled.
These metallic-coated stingers are ruthless within the insect world, laying eggs in other insects’ nests so their larvae can devour whatever is inside. Nonetheless, scientists certainly looked past these traits and instead focused on how they age over time.
Despite their short lifespan, the team noted that jewel wasps are actually surprisingly similar to humans due to their ‘functioning DNA methylation system’. In essence, this refers to a key part of cell differentiation – determining which cells serve different functions in the body.
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Thanks to this, experts saw that jewel wasp larvae could undergo a remarkable sort of ‘time-out’ on ageing before emerging into adulthood. Those who underwent this essentially hit a ‘pause button’ on getting older and reportedly saw their lifespan extended by over a third.
Senior author and evolutionary biology professor Eamonn Mallon explained: “It’s like the wasps who took a break early in life came back with extra time in the bank. It shows that ageing isn’t set in stone, it can be slowed by the environment, even before adulthood begins.”
As part of the project, researchers exposed jewel wasp mothers to cold and darkness, which activated a hibernation-like state in their babies called diapause. This refers to the natural ‘pause button’ that ultimately increased the offsprings’ overall life expectancy.
What’s more, wasps that experienced diapause aged 29 per cent more slowly at a biological level than their counterparts. However, it is key to note that biological ageing is distinctly different from chronological ageing – they are two separate measures.
While ‘chronological age’ is simply a count of how many birthdays you have celebrated, ‘biological age’ delves into the actual condition of your cells and tissues.
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If your biological age surpasses your chronological age, you are ageing faster than the calendar suggests. In humans, outward signs, such as wrinkles or greying hair, are easy to spot, but other indicators, like cellular deterioration, only become visible through more detailed testing.
The University of Leicester’s results mark the first direct evidence that biological ageing can be tuned in an invertebrate. Now, scientists believe it may be key to evolving research on human ageing, too.
Professor Mallon continued: “Understanding how and why ageing happens is a major scientific challenge. This study opens up new avenues for research, not just into the biology of wasps, but into the broader question of whether we might one day design interventions to slow ageing at its molecular roots.
“With its genetic tools, measurable ageing markers, and clear link between development and lifespan, Nasonia vitripennis is now a rising star in ageing research. In short, this tiny wasp may hold big answers to how we can press pause on ageing.”
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