In reference to the Chinese gymnastics age scandal, is there a genetic or biological test for age?

Question

In reference to the Chinese gymnastics age scandal, is there a genetic or biological test for age?

Answer 1

There's no way to find her exact age. The only thing medical tests can prove that she's pre-pubescent, but that's no guarantee she's under 16 (or 15 if born after August 1992. All they can do is investigate what the Chinese news agency based her age on and look into that hacker's evidence.

Answer 2

not very likely. Every person's body is different, which makes it hard for any test to determine. I get things like I'm 20 or something cause of my height and everything while I'm really 17

Answer 3

Biological probably, genetics is usually when they want to find disorders and their info...

Answer 4

What an excellent simple question.  I have never thought of it.  There is something called telomeres in cells which are 40 or so long.  Each cell division, one telomeres is lost.  There is a theory that when you run out of telomeres, your cells die.  I think some cells divide faster than others.  Perhaps also stem cells make new cells with the 40 telomeres.

So you could find a group of cells that live for the entire human lifespan and then look at how many telomeres on average these cells have.

I think forensic pathologist can tell how old a person is at death by looking at the bones.  It would be good to get a pathologist or doctor to weigh in on this issue.