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This study suggests that from DNA evidence that natural human lifespan is 38 years old, the same age that was the life expectancy during Wunderlich's 1851 surve
by DaniFong 7y ago
This study suggests that from DNA evidence that natural human lifespan is 38 years old, the same age that was the life expectancy during Wunderlich's 1851 survey.
https://elifesciences.org/articles/49555 https://elifesciences.org/articles/49555
Additionally, our heating systems were vastly less sophisticated, and we were outdoors more.
Together I think that these suggest that we get a sort of genetic gift of our bodies in our prime, but the growth program kind of peters out in our late 30's. After that it's a genetic maintenance program, with which, in concert with modern society, we have a good chance to keep the machine going for quite a long time.
- laurencerowe 7y agoThe 38 years figure is misleading since it's skewed by high infant mortality rates. If you made it to 15 then for most of human history you'd probably live into your 50s or 60s.
- DaniFong 7y agoyeah, I think you're definitely right about this, this skews the picture to your 50's or 60's for sure -- I think that like, human growth hormone levels also bear this out.
- cjensen 7y agoThe discussion suggests heating and air conditioning as partial causes. It also discusses reduced infection (which is correlated with lifespan) as time passed due to antibiotics and anti-inflamatories drugs.