In a world where there are many tips and recipes related to longevity, it seems that the secret to living to a very old age may be simpler than many imagine. As she reaches her 117th year, Ethel Caterham is preparing to celebrate her birthday, bringing with her a life story that spanned more than a century and witnessed major historical events and transformations, along with simple advice that she says was one of the reasons she reached this age: avoid arguments.
Caterham, the world's oldest person, is preparing to celebrate her 117th birthday today, Friday, after a year full of experiences and special moments, according to the Independent newspaper.
Ethel Caterham became the world's oldest person in April 2025, following the death of Brazilian nun Inah Canabaru Lucas at the age of 116.
Shortly after receiving the title, Caterham revealed her simple yet profound secret to her longevity, saying that avoiding controversy was part of her approach to life.
She said: “I never argue with anyone, but rather I listen and do what I want.”
Caterham currently resides at Hallmark Lakeview Nursing Home in Lightwater-Surrey, England, where she will spend her special birthday with her family and friends.
In a statement, she said: “Thank you all for your kind congratulations on my birthday. “Even at the age of 117, I have had many new experiences this year, from petting a llama to holding the king’s hand.”
British King Charles visited Caterham in September last year, shortly after it celebrated its 116th birthday, and during the meeting he held her hand while introducing himself.
During her meeting with King Charles, Caterham recalled memories dating back to 1969, when she attended his inauguration ceremony as Prince of Wales, when he was twenty-one years old at the time. She told him during the meeting: “All the girls were in love with you and wished to marry you.”
Ethel Caterham was born on 21 August 1909 in Shepton Bellinger, Hampshire, approximately four years before the outbreak of World War I, the second youngest in a family of eight siblings.
Caterham is the last remaining subject of King Edward VII, who died in May 1910, less than a year after her birth.
In 1927, Caterham traveled to India at the age of eighteen, where she worked as a nanny for a military family until she was twenty-one.
In 1931, she met her husband, Norman, during a dinner party in the United Kingdom. Norman was a lieutenant colonel in the British Army, and died in 1976.
The couple lived in Salisbury before moving, due to his work circumstances, to Gibraltar and then Hong Kong. During her stay in Hong Kong, Caterham founded a kindergarten and gave birth to two daughters, who predeceased her.
The trait of longevity also extended to other members of her family; One of her sisters, Gladys, lived to be 104 years old.
Despite her advanced age, Caterham maintained a degree of independence and activity for many years. She continued to drive a car until she was 97 years old, and she also enjoyed playing cards during her 100 years.
In 2020, Caterham survived infection with the “Covid-19” virus, and was 110 years old at the time.
As it turns 117 years old, Caterham continues to record a new chapter in its exceptional life story, having lived through more than a century of many global events and transformations, from the two world wars to the tremendous developments that the world has witnessed in the fields of technology, medicine, transportation and communications.
However, Caterham does not have a complicated recipe for longevity. Rather, her philosophy in life is to avoid arguments and live the way she chooses for herself.
As for the title of the oldest living person in history, it still goes to Frenchwoman Jeanne Calment, who lived to be 122 years and 164 days old, according to the Guinness Book of World Records.
Trees and green spaces in cities have always been associated with improving air quality and moderating temperatures, as they are among the most important natural means of reducing the effects of pollution and high temperatures. However, a recent study reveals another side of this equation, as it indicates that some tree species may release volatile compounds that contribute, in certain circumstances, to increasing air pollution and ozone formation at ground level, which may require reconsidering the method of selecting tree species used in urban planning, not the importance of green spaces themselves, according to the Independent newspaper.
While green spaces in cities contribute to absorbing gaseous pollutants and softening the atmosphere, some trees also release volatile organic compounds that may be highly chemically reactive and can contribute to the formation of ozone at ground level, which is an air pollutant that is harmful to health.
Researchers from Jinan University in China point out that these volatile compounds are similar in nature to some compounds found in paints, cleaning products, and fuel fumes.
Scientists say that as the global climate warms, it is even more important to understand these emissions from trees, which are often overlooked when studying the sources of air pollution in cities.
In the latest study, researchers set up a system to directly monitor emissions on a platform 102 meters (335 feet) above the ground, at the top of the Meteorological Tower in Beijing, in addition to conducting measurements in a laboratory located at the base of the building.
The scientists tracked chemical signals in the atmosphere several times per second, recording what they described as the city's chemical "breath" moment by moment, allowing them to monitor changes in the composition of the air and follow the sources of the emitted compounds.
The researchers carefully measured VOC emissions and were able to trace their various sources, including trees, traffic, chemical products, cooking processes, and household activities.
The study concluded that the chemical isoprene, which is also found in natural rubber, is one of the most important reactive compounds monitored, and that trees were the main source of most of its emissions.
The results indicate that hot weather increases VOC emissions in cities, which may make the effect of some trees on air quality more pronounced during periods of high temperatures.
Scientists found that the rate of chemical reaction of volatile compounds emitted from city trees increases by about seven to eight times when temperatures rise from 20 to 35 degrees Celsius.
The study concluded that isoprene emissions in Beijing were the highest among the cities included in the study, approaching levels recorded in temperate forests.
The researchers believe that this is mainly due to the types of trees planted in Beijing, which include species known for their ability to emit isoprene.
A large proportion of native trees in Beijing are known to emit isoprene, including weeping willow (Salix babylonica) and Chinese white poplar (Populus tomentosa).
“This finding may apply to other cities in northern China, as evidenced by similar or even larger average emissions estimated for Harbin and Changchun, where willows and poplars have been extensively planted over the past decades,” the scientists wrote.
The researchers say that many other cities in Asia and Oceania may also face similar pressures on air quality as a result of tree emissions, especially in light of rising temperatures that may increase the activity of these compounds and their chemical reactions in the atmosphere.
However, scientists warn that the study results do not mean a call for reducing green spaces in cities or removing old trees, as trees and green spaces remain an important element in improving the urban environment. Rather, the results indicate the importance of carefully selecting tree species when planning green spaces, giving priority to species with the least ability to release volatile organic compounds that may contribute to deteriorating air quality.
