User blog comment:EagleEye19/Who is Erudito?/@comment-89.27.67.76-20101119173214/@comment-24.178.85.214-20110102002010

Remember though, Subject 16, like Desmond, was a direct descendant of Adam having the dual lineage between both races. Niccolo is simply human. Subject 16 could plausibly be more resistant to the damaging effects of the shroud or even control it. And while Desmond may not have been able to control the Apple, Altair on the other hand was able to control it and he himself sought, and seemingly found, a manner of immortality from the Apple.