Scientists study Ozzy Osbourne

US scientists are to study veteran UK rocker Ozzy Osbourne in a bid to find out why the rock star is still going strong after a life noted for its excesses.

DNA researchers in St Louis said they are part of a team working to determine why decades of substance abuse did not end the reign of the 61-year-old Prince of Darkness.

Jon Armstrong, chief marketing officer for St Louis-based Cofactor Genomics, said Osbourne asked a Massachusetts human genomics company to map his DNA to help understanding of the relationship between DNA and the environment. Cofactor is partnering in the effort.