A new study published in Nature Communications shows that the age of bats can be predicted with high accuracy based on DNA methylation patterns. A global team of researchers with the participation of the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin examined the number of methyl groups (CH3) bound to the DNA of 26 bat species. Genome-wide methylation patterns that correlate with bat longevity also suggest that their longevity results from an enhanced immune response and suppression of cancer.