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Maybe it's attributed to the rigorousness of the selection process but I have noticed the longevity of so many astronauts. John Glenn, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Ald

Maybe it's attributed to the rigorousness of the selection process but I have noticed the longevity of so many astronauts. John Glenn, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins and Edgar Mitchell all lived beyond the average life expectancy of American males born when they were born. Our bodies have incredibly complex feedback loops and we evolved here, with a constant 1G of gravity. It's not surprising to me that exposure to Zero-G can have long lasting and unexpected consequences.

Retric 11y ago
Selection bias. Life expectancy at birth has little impact when astronauts are all selected much latter in life. At the extreme edge, the average age of people in nursing homes is much older than life expectancy at birth. That does not mean nursing homes are good for you.
- LordKano 11y ago
  I certainly concede the possibility. People who are healthiest in their mid to late 30s being more likely to live into old age than those who are not is a plausible explanation for what I have observed.
  - Retric 11y ago
    I think we are talking past each other. People who are alive at 30 can't die at 5, but people at birth could die at 5. So, just by being 30+ or 60+ a populations life expectancy increases. Which is why actuarial tables include ages. So, to see if Astronauts are living unusually longer than other people you need to look at life expectancy's of people who where 30 around 1960's. Now, they might sill be living longer than that group. But, it does not seem like that's the comparison your making.
    - nilkn 11y ago
      https://www.ssa.gov/oact/STATS/table4c6.html https://www.ssa.gov/oact/STATS/table4c6.html This suggests a life expectancy of ~78 years old for someone 30 years old today. Of course, as you stated, we'd really need statistics for someone who was 30 years old in the 60s. John Glenn, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins and Edgar Mitchell are all at least several years beyond 78, with Glenn at an impressive 94. By the way, the life expectancy at birth in that table is 76, so evidently reaching age 30 doesn't actually count for as much as I thought it would.
      - Retric 11y ago
        https://xkcd.com/893/ https://xkcd.com/893/ 4 of the 12 people that walked on the moon have already died. If you look at the people who have not died by age X, there life expectancy is going to be based on that age. PS: As to reaching age X, http://www.businessinsider.com/social-security-life-table-charts-2014-3 http://www.businessinsider.com/social-security-life-table-ch... A 30 year old male has a ~25% chance of reaching 90. But, these sample sizes are tiny so that does not mean much.
        lordnacho 11y ago
        > https://xkcd.com/893/ https://xkcd.com/893/ It's sad that they don't need a model of arrivals. I would like to at least hope that someone will walk on the moon before 2035.
- aqme28 11y ago
  Also selection bias another way These are astronauts the commenter remembers. To be accurate, check against all astronauts from that time period.
ceejayoz 11y ago
> John Glenn, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins and Edgar Mitchell all lived beyond the average life expectancy of American males born when they were born. I'd imagine astronauts are more likely than the overall population to have good healthcare, good pensions, etc. Helps live longer.
deleted 11y ago
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Retric 11y ago

Selection bias. Life expectancy at birth has little impact when astronauts are all selected much latter in life. At the extreme edge, the average age of people in nursing homes is much older than life expectancy at birth. That does not mean nursing homes are good for you.

LordKano 11y ago
I certainly concede the possibility. People who are healthiest in their mid to late 30s being more likely to live into old age than those who are not is a plausible explanation for what I have observed.
- Retric 11y ago
  I think we are talking past each other. People who are alive at 30 can't die at 5, but people at birth could die at 5. So, just by being 30+ or 60+ a populations life expectancy increases. Which is why actuarial tables include ages. So, to see if Astronauts are living unusually longer than other people you need to look at life expectancy's of people who where 30 around 1960's. Now, they might sill be living longer than that group. But, it does not seem like that's the comparison your making.
  - nilkn 11y ago
    https://www.ssa.gov/oact/STATS/table4c6.html https://www.ssa.gov/oact/STATS/table4c6.html This suggests a life expectancy of ~78 years old for someone 30 years old today. Of course, as you stated, we'd really need statistics for someone who was 30 years old in the 60s. John Glenn, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins and Edgar Mitchell are all at least several years beyond 78, with Glenn at an impressive 94. By the way, the life expectancy at birth in that table is 76, so evidently reaching age 30 doesn't actually count for as much as I thought it would.
    - Retric 11y ago
      https://xkcd.com/893/ https://xkcd.com/893/ 4 of the 12 people that walked on the moon have already died. If you look at the people who have not died by age X, there life expectancy is going to be based on that age. PS: As to reaching age X, http://www.businessinsider.com/social-security-life-table-charts-2014-3 http://www.businessinsider.com/social-security-life-table-ch... A 30 year old male has a ~25% chance of reaching 90. But, these sample sizes are tiny so that does not mean much.
      - lordnacho 11y ago
        > https://xkcd.com/893/ https://xkcd.com/893/ It's sad that they don't need a model of arrivals. I would like to at least hope that someone will walk on the moon before 2035.
aqme28 11y ago
Also selection bias another way These are astronauts the commenter remembers. To be accurate, check against all astronauts from that time period.

ceejayoz 11y ago

> John Glenn, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins and Edgar Mitchell all lived beyond the average life expectancy of American males born when they were born. I'd imagine astronauts are more likely than the overall population to have good healthcare, good pensions, etc. Helps live longer.

deleted 11y ago

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