Mutant Pigeon With Giant Legs

How long animals live is linked to how quickly their genetic code mutates, a study suggests. Researchers discovered that mammals - from tigers to humans - have roughly the same number of mutations by the time they die of old age. But short-lived animals tend to burn through their allowance more rapidly, the analysis of 16 species indicates. The researchers say it helps explain why we age and sheds light on one of cancer's most perplexing mysteries.