The bowhead whale lives in the cold Arctic Ocean. It is a very big animal. The bowhead whale can live for a very long time. Some live for 200 years. This is a big secret for scientists.
Scientists want to know how the whales live so long. The Arctic is a harsh place. It is very cold and hard to find food. But the whales are healthy. They do not get sick like old humans do.
Scientists studied the whale’s genes. They found one special gene called ERI1. This gene helps the whale in two ways. It helps the whale stay warm in the cold water. It also helps fix the whale's body.
This gene repairs damage inside the whale’s cells. This is a very important discovery. This discovery helps scientists understand long life. Maybe one day, it can help humans live longer, healthier lives too.