Life Expectancy Defies Expectation

It is no secret that human life expectancy has been on the rise, with the current average lifespan today being double what is was 200 years ago. But where will it all end?

According to a BBC News report, we just don’t know. Speculating about the issue since 1980, researchers expected that life expectancy increases would flatten out at some point during their decades of research. This has not been the case.

Professor Tom Kirkwood from the Institute of Ageing and Health at Newcastle University theorized that our bodies and genes are evolving to become better at repairing themselves.

He said: "There is no use-by-date when we age, ageing is not a fixed biological process."

In a study of older people in Newcastle, the professor and his colleagues found that there were many over the age of 85 who maintained both good health and independence in their advanced years.

In addition to genetic evolution, some of the reasons for this longevity include healthier eating habits, better living conditions, better education, and better medicine.

So how far will this steady rise in life expectancy take us? It’s difficult to say. If the trend continues, we may soon see people living well into their second century.

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