A woman believed to the the oldest human being on Earth and the last surviving person born in the 19th century has passed away at 117 years old.
Emma Morano, who made her home in the northern Italian town of Verbania, was the oldest of eight children and one of the oldest people in recorded history.
She was discovered not breathing in her home by her caretaker today, and was eventually confirmed dead by the physician who looked after her over the last 25 years.
Morano's genetics likely played a big factor in the longevity of her life. Her mother lived to be 91, and she had several siblings who reportedly lived to be at least 100 years old.
Against the wishes of several doctors, Morano also kept an unusual diet. For more than 90 years of her life, following a diagnosis of anemia shortly after World War I, Morano ate multiple raw eggs per day. Her doctor says she rarely ate vegetables or fruit and instead subsisted primarily on chicken, omelettes, and biscuits.
The world's oldest living person is now believed to be Violet Brown, a Jamaican woman born on March 10, 1900.
#RIPEmma
Photo: Getty Images