Unlocking Secrets: How Genes and Environment Shape Our Lives

A group of scientists from five different countries came together in 2010. They wanted to understand how genes and the environment work together. This group is called the IGEMS consortium. It includes 21 twin studies from Australia, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, and the United States. The scientists studied over 145, 000 people. These people were between 18 and 108 years old. The goal was to see how genes and environment affect our minds, bodies, and emotions as we age.The project has three main phases. The first two phases focused on building the consortium. They also worked on making data from different studies work together. This is called data harmonization. They also linked data to national registries and military conscription records. Plus, they combined traditional twin studies with new genetic research. The third phase is all about making the most of this huge amount of data. The scientists want to use it to learn more about aging. They are building tools and systems to make this possible. This project is important because it helps us understand how we age. It also shows how genes and environment work together. This knowledge can help us live healthier lives.