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Study Reveals Mating Strategies Drive Gender Lifespan Gap

10/17/2025

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Summary

Story summary

A study published in Science Advances analyzes 1,176 species of mammals and birds and finds that mating strategies help explain gender differences in lifespan.
Males in polygamous species, such as gorillas and baboons, tend to have shorter lifespans due to intense competition for mates.
Females often live longer, in part because two X chromosomes provide redundancy.
The findings imply evolutionary history shapes the gender gap in life expectancy.

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Story summary

A study published in Science Advances analyzes 1,176 species of mammals and birds and finds that mating strategies help explain gender differences in lifespan.
Males in polygamous species, such as gorillas and baboons, tend to have shorter lifespans due to intense competition for mates.
Females often live longer, in part because two X chromosomes provide redundancy.
The findings imply evolutionary history shapes the gender gap in life expectancy.