Discovered in worms and observed in mice, it's possible that the enzymes could provide a pathway to longer life, effectively switching on a set of genes at an early age.

Given the universal appeal of living longer, it's not surprising that a lot of research time and money goes into finding ways to potentially increase human lifespans. We've seen some interesting work taking on the topic recently, with Mayo Clinic researchers getting positive results in mice from clearing out damaged cells, extending their lives by up to an impressive 35 percent. The new research tackles things on a slightly deeper level, pinpointing a means of essentially "switching on" longer life.

We've known for decades that there's a correlation between the availability of nutrients during early development, and adult health and metabolism. Even short-lived changes in diet, which directly affects how much energy is available to cells, can induce lasting changes in an organism.