Can we live past 150? – findings from a new study
Is there a maximum limit to human longevity? If there is, we’re not approaching it yet – a new study suggests.
Currently, the record for the most candles on their birthday cake is held by Jeanne Calment, a French woman who has lived a total of 122 years. To grasp the sheer span of her life, imagine this – she was born in 1875 – before the first lightbulb was patented, and she died in 1997 – when the internet started spreading around the world. Incredible. But is 122 the limit?
Researchers from the US think not. Just recently, on March 29th 2023, they published a study that analyzed data from hundreds of millions of people in 19 countries to see where our human lifespan is going. And from what they say, they predict that record-breaking long-livers will start appearing in the near future.
They found that people born between 1910 and 1950 are experiencing a common postponing of ageing. Meaning that people born in this period will live longer than others before them. They don’t know exactly why, but this is what their model shows. Based on this data, the longevity records will start being broken around 2060, when these people will start reaching their 120s.
Although this study has some limitations. Ageing is a biological phenomenon, and these researchers used a mathematical approach to predict it. They didn’t account for the advancements in medicine or potential detrimental factors our changing environment might have on human longevity. Regardless, these predictions are still useful, as they show us where the trends are going.
Right now, the scientific community is churning out paper after paper on longevity and ageing. This is the prime time for such research. We are getting closer and closer to knowing how to postpone (or even reverse) our ageing. As we watch these advancements unfold, there is only one thing we will say – stay tuned.
The Hebrews of the Bronze Age thought 80 years is as far as humans can get. Romans put that age at 100-110. Some modern scientists put it at 120-150. And these researchers… well, they don’t specify the number. But they are sure the limit of longevity is not fixed.
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