In a special section called "The Science of Living Longer," Time magazine explores what experts have found out through the study of the genes and lifestyles of those who have lived to be 100 years old and older. While most centenarians seem almost hard-wired to live beyond the average life expectancy, Time senior editor Jeffrey Kluger said there's no reason the rest of the population can't strive for the same longevity. "They key here is the cause and effect," he said. "It's not that they just live to 100 and get lucky." Researchers are now studying people who live to be 100 in hopes they can find away to reproduce in everyone else what comes naturally to the centenarians. Time's research found that today's centenarians are mostly very healthy people. The Long Life Family Study from the National Institute on Aging has determined that there is a 70 to 30 percent split in the reasons for longevity.
