By analyzing just 150 spots on the genome, Boston University researchers can predict who will live to extreme old age with almost 80 percent accuracy.

Preliminary analysis showed that centenarians had just as many genetic variants linked to diseases as did people in the control group, which suggests that what makes people live long lives is not lack of genetic disposition to disease but longevity-promoting genes.

Most centenarians possess a subset of 150 variants, they found, and their genetic profiles cluster into 19 different genetic signatures. The longest survivors, who live a median age of 108, have the highest number of longevity variants.