Scientists reveal the surprising reason why women live longer than men

"Men are known as the 'heterogametic sex' because their sex chromosomes do not match - they have one X and one Y. But this puts them at a disadvantage compared to females, who have two X chromosomes. Because of their XY chromosomes, males are left more prone to harmful genetic mutations and disease - and ultimately an earlier death on average."

"'We believe that the heterogametic sex is partially the answer,' Dr Fernando Colchero, study author at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, told the Daily Mail. 'We found that there are factors which are tightly linked to our evolutionary history that contribute as well.' Since the 1740s it's been known that women live longer than men on average - a pattern that's consistent across nearly all countries and historical time periods."

Women live longer than men on average across nearly all countries and historical periods, with current global life expectancy at 73.8 years for women and 68.4 years for men. The heterogametic sex theory explains much of the gap because males possess one X and one Y chromosome, leaving them more vulnerable to harmful genetic mutations and disease that shorten lifespan. Female mammals such as baboons and gorillas usually live longer than males, while in many birds, insects, and reptiles the reverse can occur. Researchers analyzed records from 528 mammal species and 648 bird species and found that evolutionary history also contributes to the lifespan difference.

Read at Mail Online