The oldest person in the world turned 117 years old

British resident Ethel Caterham, who is considered the oldest person on Earth, celebrated her 117th birthday. This was announced on August 21 by the British television channel BBC.

"Ethel Caterham assumed this title in April 2025 after the death of Brazilian nun Sister Ina Canabarro Lucas at the age of 116," the publication says.

Caterham was born three years before the sinking of the Titanic and eight years before the October Revolution in Russia, having survived two world wars in her life and becoming one of the oldest patients on the planet who successfully overcame coronavirus infection at the age of 110.

In her youth, she worked as a governess in India, and after marrying a lieutenant colonel in the British Army, she lived in Hong Kong, where she founded a kindergarten. The centenarian is the last living subject of King Edward VII and during her long life she managed to survive her husband, who died in 1976, and her two daughters, while her sister Gladys also crossed the 100-year mark, having lived to 104 years.

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Science Daily magazine reported on July 21 that an international team of scientists has discovered rare genetic variants that allow members of certain families to stay healthy longer and without the early development of chronic diseases. During the analysis, scientists identified 12 rare gene variants that affect the structure of proteins and contribute to longevity. One of the most promising variants is found in the CGAS gene, which is responsible for triggering inflammatory reactions when damaged DNA is detected inside cells.