Over 25 years of studying individuals aged 80 and older — dubbed “SuperAgers” — Northwestern University scientists have seen some notable lifestyle and personality differences between SuperAgers and those aging typically — such as being social and gregarious — but “it’s really what we’ve found in their brains that’s been so earth-shattering for us,” the corresponding author said. 

Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania found that red blood cells, not just platelets, actively contribute to the contraction of blood clots. This finding challenges long-standing assumptions about clot biology and could lead to new ways of diagnosing and treating clotting disorders, strokes and conditions like thrombocytopenia, where platelet counts are dangerously low.