Scientists have discovered that a type of bacteria capable of producing magnets can significantly extend the lifespan of laboratory worms while also helping to maintain their brain and gut health. Researchers led by Professor An Xu at the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, tested the bacterium Magnetospirillum magneticum AMB-1 (AMB-1) on Caenorhabditis elegans, a small roundworm commonly used in aging studies. The findings, published in the journal Free Radical Biology and Medicine, showed that worms treated with AMB-1 lived more than 43% longer on average. The study revealed that AMB-1’s ability to produce magnetosomes—tiny magnetic particles—played a key role in the lifespan extension. When compared to non-magnetotactic variants of the bacteria, the wild-type AMB-1, which can produce these magnetosomes, had a stronger effect on increasing the worms' longevity. Researchers also found that the bacteria helped reduce iron buildup in the worms and lowered lipid peroxidation, a process linked to cellular damage. This reduction helped suppress ferroptosis, a specific type of cell death involving iron accumulation and oxidative stress on cell fats. Genetic analysis of the worms showed that several genes associated with ferroptosis were involved in how AMB-1 influenced lifespan. These included ftn-1, bli-3, and ads-1, which are known to play roles in protecting cells from oxidative damage. The study suggests that AMB-1 could offer a new approach to anti-aging interventions by leveraging the unique properties of magnetotactic bacteria. This discovery could open the door to further research on using such microbes in geriatric medicine, potentially offering new ways to combat age-related diseases and improve overall health in older individuals.