PLoS One January 2008 PMID 18231610

Radiocarbon dating of the human eye lens crystallines reveal proteins without carbon turnover throughout life.

Niels Lynnerup, Henrik Kjeldsen, Steffen Heegaard, Christina Jacobsen, Jan Heinemeier

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Mentions

62
Peak: 13 in Oct 2026
across 7 sources since Jan 2008

Extended reach

3,527,811
potential audience

Total likes

53,198

Video views

3,504,072

Mentions per month

Jan 2008 – Oct 2026

Where it's discussed

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  • Facebook10 posts
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AI synopsis

What people are saying

The collection shows a broad range of responses centered on the method of using radiocarbon dating of lens crystallines and its implications. Some posts highlight the stability of lens proteins and compare to dental enamel, signaling intact turnover data. Others swing toward tangential topics like Greenland sharks or memes, with occasional online remarks that mildly engage with the science. Overall, discussion reads as exploratory and casual, with pockets of direct reference to the paper, but little critical debate or depth of analysis about its broader implications.

AgreementNeither agree nor disagree

Overall mixed to neutral stance. Several posts acknowledge the method and findings without opposing them, while others are unrelated or joking, showing no strong agreement or disagreement about the article itself.

InterestNeutral interest

Moderate to low; some posts show curiosity or mention potential implications, but many reactions are tangential or casual.

EngagementNeutral engagement

Low to moderate engagement; a few posts reference the method or paper directly, but several are memes or off-topic discussions, indicating surface-level engagement.

ImpactNeutral impact

Low potential immediate impact on the article's scientific conclusions; discussions mainly share interest or entertain rather than challenge or apply the findings.

Abstract in brief

  • Radiocarbon dating of human eye lens proteins shows that lens crystallines do not undergo turnover or remodeling after formation, essentially capturing biographical data from birth.
  • The study uses atmospheric 14C levels, especially the bomb pulse from nuclear testing post-World War II, to accurately date when lens proteins were formed, revealing most crystallines are formed around birth with minimal ongoing formation.
  • This permanence of lens proteins is similar to dental enamel, highlighting that some human tissues can remain unchanged throughout life despite continuous physical deformation, and such 14C analysis can help assess tissue turnover in other organs like the brain.]

Top posts

Most liked on X and Bluesky
c0nc0rdance
@c0nc0rdance.bsky.social · Bluesky

The lens proteins called "crystallines" are formed as an embryo and don't get "turned over" or recycled like every other protein in your body. That means they contain the exact ratio of isotopes of carbon that reflect the environment in which you were born. journals.plos.org/plosone/arti...

Jul 8, 2024 · 54 likes · 3 shares View post →
Panagiotis Xipteras
@xipteras · X

The Insane Biology of: The Greenland Shark https://t.co/dSGZwZxMQ0 via @YouTube

Jul 8, 2026 · 5 likes · 8,362 followers View post →
??? ??????
@KaiserErpel · X

@f_langberg Hier ein nettes Video zu denen (ist auf englisch): https://t.co/pEOwmQEJwu

Aug 6, 2025 · 5 likes · 450 followers View post →
Grith Højfeldt
@grith_hojfeldt · X

@StephenSeiler Sorry to burst you bubble but you eye lense is pretty much set and stops you from surfing away as a blissful wave

Aug 2, 2021 · 5 likes · 264 followers View post →
Emm
@emswam · X

The linked paper on C-14 dating of lens crystallin proteins that, like dental enamel, stay stable for a lifetime & are resistant to decomposition is itself a riveting read. (More recently, lens lipids (sphingomyelin) have proved similarly competent) https://t.co/eg5mKUqhYV

Jul 9, 2020 · 4 likes · 1,413 followers View post →
tommytwopence.bsky.social
@tommytwopence.bsky.social · Bluesky

As you read this, there are sharks swimming in the northern ocean that were born before George Washington. Imagine that. youtu.be/JUPrdUvB58c?...

Oct 22, 2025 · 3 likes View post →

All mentions

Eye Lens Proteins Show No Turnover After Birth

Radiocarbon dating reveals human lens crystallines form around birth and largely remain unchanged, capturing life history data. The method uses bomb-pulse 14C to date protein formation, highlighting tissue permanence…

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How a Lens Reveals Your Birth Year

Lens crystallin core proteins encode birth year via atmospheric 14C from mid-20th-century nuclear tests. The method, used post-mortem, has precision limits and ongoing debates on dating accuracy.

Knowza · Sep 5, 2026 452 views

Your Eye Lens Carries Your Birth Year

Core lens proteins capture carbon-14 signatures from the bomb pulse, enabling birth-year dating. The lens core forms at birth and is not renewed, providing a biomarker for life history.

전차지휘소 · Sep 2, 2026 377 views
Panagiotis Xipteras
@xipteras · X

The Insane Biology of: The Greenland Shark https://t.co/dSGZwZxMQ0 via @YouTube

Jul 8, 2026 · 5 likes · 8,362 followers View post →
towntaker.bsky.social
@towntaker.bsky.social · Bluesky

Although Stephanie Sammann suggested that anyone who is evil should live in terror of being reincarnated as a Greenland shark youtu.be/JUPrdUvB58c?...

Mar 29, 2026 · 2 shares View post →
Arnold Bashkevits
@abashkevits · X

6:27 Talk about a successful evolutionary cuntism with terrible optics - literally. Oof, that is narsty. The Insane Biology of: The Greenland Shark https://t.co/vHheIQToMQ via @YouTube

Mar 13, 2026 · 1 like · 80 followers View post →
M̵̡͉̬̤̫̩̤̣̫̜̫͈̩͙̮͔̜̤̃̉ͣ͊̌̍ͮ́ͯ̃̿̀̍̓͌̄͒̄̂̓̑͜͢͞_A̵̸̵̢̡̠͎̩͓̙̫̯͙̫͑̃ͦ̋͌͑̐̓̈̃́ͥ̓ͩ̚͡͠͝T̸̻͇̖T̴̸̻̣̙̘̒̓̊̓͒̐͆̈͘ ⭐
@badthoughthaver.bsky.social · Bluesky

This is a pretty decent overview of the bastards ? youtu.be/JUPrdUvB58c?...

Feb 10, 2026 · 1 like · 1 share View post →
sarah
@sardinepate · X

The Insane Biology of: The Greenland Shark https://t.co/z9KN54mB9o via @YouTube

Feb 3, 2026 · 212 followers View post →
sarah
@sardinepate · X

The Insane Biology of: The Greenland Shark https://t.co/zYi4zidpyc via @YouTube

Feb 2, 2026 · 212 followers View post →
PEPETRUMP
@AiAgentDefi · X

https://t.co/4zxQkTwdkg

Jan 30, 2026 · 1 like · 475 followers View post →
nola
@Ccity3 · X

https://t.co/6DWkGn7ZvY

Oct 30, 2025 · 6,952 followers View post →
tommytwopence.bsky.social
@tommytwopence.bsky.social · Bluesky

As you read this, there are sharks swimming in the northern ocean that were born before George Washington. Imagine that. youtu.be/JUPrdUvB58c?...

Oct 22, 2025 · 3 likes View post →
Alderson
@0Dweller · X

https://t.co/bFeiGBti1C

Sep 21, 2025 · 1,171 followers View post →
??? ??????
@KaiserErpel · X

@martinlichtmesz @f_langberg Hier ganz gutes kurzes Video, wenn man sich dafür interessiert: (auf englisch) https://t.co/wabvkFYfPY

Aug 29, 2025 · 1 like · 450 followers View post →
??? ??????
@KaiserErpel · X

@f_langberg Hier ein nettes Video zu denen (ist auf englisch): https://t.co/pEOwmQEJwu

Aug 6, 2025 · 5 likes · 450 followers View post →
4xAce汇士
@4xAce001 · X

The Insane Biology of: The Greenland Shark https://t.co/7FgBViIP3J via @YouTube

Mar 19, 2025 · 225 followers View post →
Tammie the Great
@GreatTammie · X

The Insane Biology of: The Greenland Shark https://t.co/fg9iAAeTdi via @YouTube I hope Trump doesn’t charity these characteristics

Jan 30, 2025 · 1,656 followers View post →
Patrice Boivin ??
@patboivin.bsky.social · Bluesky

A possible metaphor? youtu.be/JUPrdUvB58c

Jan 26, 2025 View post →
stux⚡
@stux.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy · Bluesky

The Insane Biology of: The Greenland Shark https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUPrdUvB58c

Jan 25, 2025 · 1 like · 2 shares View post →
c0nc0rdance
@c0nc0rdance.bsky.social · Bluesky

The lens proteins called "crystallines" are formed as an embryo and don't get "turned over" or recycled like every other protein in your body. That means they contain the exact ratio of isotopes of carbon that reflect the environment in which you were born. journals.plos.org/plosone/arti...

Jul 8, 2024 · 54 likes · 3 shares View post →
Inkjet Connoisseur
@OttoKurect · X

@eyoismos @OfeliaLamensky @AMAZlNGNATURE Yes, see this paper which explains how the method was validated with lenses from humans of known age (deceased as you would imagine) https://t.co/1hfIlUGRmJ

Apr 24, 2024 · 757 followers View post →
BTD
@buythursday · X

Maybe one day we can age prehistoric creatures with a similar method. I wonder what other ways to date can be possible that have yet to be discovered or innovated. https://t.co/xJGK9Dr9ZO

Aug 27, 2023 · 380 followers View post →
Grith Højfeldt
@grith_hojfeldt · X

@StephenSeiler Sorry to burst you bubble but you eye lense is pretty much set and stops you from surfing away as a blissful wave

Aug 2, 2021 · 5 likes · 264 followers View post →
Emm
@emswam · X

The linked paper on C-14 dating of lens crystallin proteins that, like dental enamel, stay stable for a lifetime & are resistant to decomposition is itself a riveting read. (More recently, lens lipids (sphingomyelin) have proved similarly competent) https://t.co/eg5mKUqhYV

Jul 9, 2020 · 4 likes · 1,413 followers View post →
Tomas Malinauskas
@t_malinauskas · X

A fascinating method to determine the human (or shark) age from carbon-14 content in eye lenses: https://t.co/M3oQa2UAqF and https://t.co/BB4W5Fxxys @NewYorker @PLOSONE @PLOS #Greenland #shark #crystallin

Nov 17, 2019 · 1 like · 501 followers View post →
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