In case we needed any convincing* that women over the age of 100 are just as awesome as anyone else, photographer Karsten Thormaehlen’s beautiful new portraits of centenarians should do the trick.

The German photographer traveled across the world to meet women and men over the age of 100 and capture joyful images of centenarians living – and thriving – everywhere from Japan to New York and Munich.

Here you can see a selection of 10 portraits of gloriously mischievous women, who feature alongside 42 other women and men in Thormaehlen’s touching new photobook, Aging Gracefully, published by Chronicle Books on 7 March.

Simply scroll through to get started.

*we didn’t.

Age is just a number: touching new photo series shows the beauty of women over 100