The world's oldest person has passed away at the age of 116, the AP reports.
Besse Cooper, from Monroe in Georgia, died in her nursing home around 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 4.
Cooper turned 116 on Aug. 26, 2012, and was identified as the oldest person on Earth by the Guinness Book Of World Records when Maria Gomes Valentin of Brazil died in June.
The former school teacher revealed her secret to longevity on her 113th birthday: "I mind my own business and I don't eat junk food."
Cooper's son told the AP that his mother had trouble breathing earlier today and was put on oxygen before dieing peacefully this afternoon.
SEE ALSO: IKARIA, GREECE: The Oldest People On Earth Reveal The Secrets To Living Past 100
SEE ALSO: JAMES CAMERON: I Did Yoga For 6 Months To Fit Into A 43-Inch Wide Sphere
Please follow Science on Twitter and Facebook.
Join the conversation about this story »
