DNA may predict when and how we're going to die

Washington: The DNA strands on the end of chromosomes may help predict when people are going to die. DNA end caps, called telomeres, are the great predictors of life expectancy: the shorter your telomeres, the shorter your lifespan. But that's not the only thing these fascinating strands of DNA predict. Shorter telomeres also indicate a greater chance for bone marrow failure, liver disease, skin disease and lung disease.

Telomeres are the protective tip of our chromosomes, kind of like the plastic cap on the end of a shoelace. Each time a cell divides and replicates, the DNA at the end of telomeres shorten. When the telomeres run out, the cell becomes inactive or dies, which leads to disease. While only people with very short telomere length are at greater risk for lung diseases, finding the connection was unexpected.