While graying hair might feel like just one more unpleasant symptom of aging, new research reveals that it may actually be the result of a biological process that defends against cancer risk.

In a study led by the University of Tokyo and published earlier this month in the journal Nature Cell Biology , researchers used lab mice to investigate how a type of stem cell reacts to DNA damage, revealing a connection between hair graying and a form of skin cancer called melanoma.

DNA damage, aging, and cancer

Our body’s cells are continuously faced with internal and environmental agents that can cause DNA damage, which plays a role in both aging and cancer. Scientists have struggled to pin down the specifics of this role, especially how damaged stem cells impact tissue health in the long ter

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