The link between hair color, aging and longevity.

An international research team analyzed the DNA of nearly half a million men and women and found that light hair color may be associated with late puberty, reduced risk of age-related diseases and longer life. The more intense the pigmentation, the earlier puberty occurs. That is, fiery red, dark brown hair and brunettes mature faster than blondes and people with light brown hair. In addition, it turned out that people who start puberty later live longer and get sick less. Each extra year of "childhood" added an average of nine months to a person's life. Scientists have also found that early puberty increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer.