A study by researchers at the University of Nottingham found that sharply reducing exposure to Earth's magnetic field affected both mitochondrial activity and the lifespan of fruit flies. The effects differed depending on the flies' health.
The team placed male flies in a shielded chamber where the magnetic field was reduced to a tiny fraction of its usual strength. Among flies with a disabled Pink1 gene--a mutation that disrupts the removal of damaged mitochondria--starting the treatment at 20 days old was linked to an approximately 20% longer lifespan compared with control flies. Beginning the treatment earlier did not produce a statistically significant survival benefit.
The longer-lived mutant flies had more difficulty climbing. In healthy flies, shielding did not significantly change lifespan, but climbing performance improved at several ages. The findings therefore point to different effects on survival and physical function, rather than a single overall benefit.
Possible links to cellular energy
Tests showed increased respiration involving Complex II in the mitochondria of healthy flies. The researchers also observed changes in reactive oxygen species, which can act as cellular signals as well as contribute to damage. They suggest that reduced magnetic exposure may prompt a compensatory response in mitochondria, but this explanation remains a hypothesis.
The results do not establish that magnetic fields influence human ageing, and they apply to fruit flies under specific laboratory conditions. Published in the journal Aging, the study adds to evidence that magnetic environments can interact with animal physiology in complex ways.
Further research across species may help clarify how environmental forces shape cellular energy and, ultimately, biological health.
