Overview
- The peer-reviewed study in Communications Biology examined male Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins in Shark Bay, Western Australia.
- Researchers combined a 40-year behavioral record with DNA methylation from skin samples of 38 identified males to estimate biological age.
- Males with stronger, consistent alliances were on average about 1.7 years biologically younger than same-aged peers.
- The authors emphasize correlation rather than causation, noting that robust health could also enable richer social bonds.
- A weaker pattern linked time spent in larger male groups to faster aging, highlighting questions for follow-up work.