Methuselah Foundation

The price of the Methuselah Mouse (or Methuselah Mouse Prize, Prize M ) is a competitive price for researchers who are trying to extend the life of house mice artificially. This knowledge will also be found on the human aging process. The word derives from the biblical Methuselah, the old age was ascribed. Accordingly, a Methusalemmaus is a mouse very high mouse ages.

The price has been conceived and founded in 2003 by Aubrey de Grey. He is inspired by the Ansari X-Prize and endowed with currently more than four million U.S. dollars, which have been collected as donations.

Each new longevity record will be awarded according to the formula, with the previous age record is and the new in days. A doubling of the previous age cup record would thus win half the jackpot. A second prize is intended for researchers who have treated the mice at advanced age.

Actual durability record

Currently (June 2013) is the record for 1819 days ( almost five years) after genetic manipulation. The normal life expectancy for the mouse strain used is around three years.

It will support research projects with the aim to increase the human lifespan to slow down the aging process and to defeat the diseases of aging. Corresponding research fields are the Gerontology and the biogerontology.