Scientist claim that if it were not for the dinosaurs, humans could live up to 200 years

In a recent study, a scientist, Joao Pedro de Magalhaes, a microbiologist from the University of Birmingham in the UK, has proposed that the presence of dinosaurs might have limited human lifespan by up to 200 years.

Magalhaes highlights a noticeable contrast in the aging processes between mammals, such as humans, and reptiles and amphibians. This distinction is attributed to the dominance of dinosaurs on Earth millions of years ago, particularly during a crucial period in mammalian history.

According to Magalhaes, in his newly published paper detailing the “longevity bottleneck” hypothesis, the reign of dinosaurs forced smaller mammals to prioritize rapid reproduction for survival. This evolutionary pressure likely resulted in the elimination of genes associated with extended lifespans.

During the age of dinosaurs, early mammals, relegated to the bottom of the food chain, adapted to survive through swift reproduction over a span of approximately 100 million years, influencing the aging process in humans today, as suggested by Magalhaes.

The research also delves into the idea that ancient ancestors in the eutherian mammal lineage might have lost specific enzymes, including those responsible for repairing skin damage caused by ultraviolet light, during the era of dinosaurs. Even marsupials and monotremes, according to the study, lack at least one of the three UV-repair enzymes known as photolyases. It remains uncertain if this absence is correlated with their comparatively shorter lifespans.

Magalhaes suggests that mammals attempting to adopt a nocturnal lifestyle to evade predators during that era may have suffered additional genetic losses. Today, after millions of years, these losses may be compensated for by the use of sun cream.

While currently a hypothesis, Magalhaes points out intriguing possibilities, including the potential link between the rapid aging process and a higher frequency of cancer in mammals compared to other species. The study prompts further exploration into the impact of the age of dinosaurs on the genetic evolution of mammals and its consequences for human aging.