>In 1900, about 4 percent of the U.S. population was older than 65. Today, 90 percent of all babies born in the developed world will live past that age. This c

>In 1900, about 4 percent of the U.S. population was older than 65. Today, 90 percent of all babies born in the developed world will live past that age. This comparison is a bit fishy, isn't it? The 4 and 90 don't have much to do with each other, since the age at which people die isn't taken into account. Even if everybody lives past 65, if they all die at 66, only 1/66th (or 1.5 percent) of the population is older than 65.