- Older bees ‘stay young’ when doing tasks normally handled by younger bees
- Remain mentally sharp ‘for as long as we observe them’ says researcher
The secret to living a longer life may lie in the way that bees think.
Scientists at Arizona State University discovered that older honey bees can effectively reverse brain aging when they take on responsibilities typically handled by much younger bees.
As bees have the same kind of brain cells as humans, the findings have suggested that people can adapt their social lives to help their minds stay younger as they grow older.
Questions: Scientists at Arizona State University discovered that older honey bees can effectively reverse brain aging when they take on responsibilities typically handled by much younger bees
‘We knew from previous research that when bees stay in the nest and take care of larvae – the bee babies – they remain mentally competent for as long as we observe them,’ Gro Amdam, who led the research that was published in the journal of Experimental Gerontology, told Live Science.
‘However, after a period of nursing, bees fly out gathering food and begin aging very quickly.’
