Shorter early-life telomere length could predict survival in Arctic seabirds

A study published in Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology reveals a surprising link between cellular aging markers and survival in black-legged kittiwakes (members of the gull family). In the work titled "Who's coming home? Shorter early-life telomeres predict return to the natal colony in an Arctic seabird," researchers have found that kittiwake chicks with shorter telomeres were more likely to return to their birthplace as adults, contradicting predictions that longer telomeres would indicate better survival prospects.