Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Telomeres, the protective caps at the ends of our chromosomes, act much like the plastic tips of shoelaces, preventing our DNA ...

Telomeres — the “caps” on the end of chromosomes that protect the DNA from damage — have been associated with greater longevity. In theory, longer telomeres should allow a cell to divide more times ...

Scientists investigate human telomere length to elucidate aging and diseases such as cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. In normal mammalian cells, a small telomeric DNA segment is lost after each ...