The search for ways to counter aging often leads scientists to unexpected places, including the seabed.
A recent study focused on a natural substance found in edible sea squirts, soft marine creatures that filter seawater.
Researchers administered the substance to elderly mice and monitored their health over time.
Remarkably, the treated animals displayed sharper memory and noticeably stronger muscles.
Several hallmarks of aging appeared to be not just slowed but partly reversed.
Such findings are exciting because they suggest that aging may be more flexible than once believed.
Nevertheless, the authors are careful to keep expectations realistic.
The experiments were conducted entirely in animals, and translating the results to humans would require years of further testing.