Scientists have finally discovered the key to anti-aging

Forget all the emotional work you've done to accept and, dare we say, love your crow's feet: Wrinkles could soon be a thing of the past. Scientists at Newcastle University have pinpointed the enzyme responsible for maintaining a youthful glow, which could lead to pioneering advances in anti-aging treatments (read: lots more creams). Much like our joints and brains, a compound called mitochondrial complex II — crucial for keeping us looking baby-smooth — degrades as we get on in years, which leads to a world of ruddiness and sagging. “There is now a possibility of finding anti-aging treatments which can be tailored to differently aged and differently pigmented skin," says Mark Birch-Machin, the lead researcher on the study. "And [there's] the additional possibility to address the aging process elsewhere in our bodies.” Basically, look forward to a whole cohort of eerily poreless, Benjamin Button–esque 80-year-olds in the relatively near future. Related: 5 anti-aging skin savers 8 ways to get better skin as you sleep The best drugstore picks for dry winter skin