Scientists develop transcriptomic clock measuring biological age and mortality risk

Technology Jun 04, 2026

A team of scientists has created a transcriptomic clock that can tell how old your body really is (and even estimate your risk of dying) just by looking at how your genes are behaving.
Their research, published in Nature on June 4, 2026, used RNA from more than 11,000 samples across humans and animals to track which genes switch on or off as we get older.

Transcriptomic clock maps shared aging genes

This new tool spots patterns in aging shared by humans and other species, highlighting genes linked to healthy aging (like those for cell repair) and faster aging (such as inflammation).
Because it works across different organs and species, researchers think it could help measure the impact of lifestyle changes or diseases and maybe guide future treatments to slow down aging.