Annie Walton Doyle
Scientists have discovered the maximum age a human can possibly live to, and the number has left the internet shocked.
Recent research by Dutch scientists has unveiled what may be the ‘maximum ceiling’ of human lifespan, sparking discussion on the potential limits of longevity.
As life expectancy has climbed globally due to better healthcare, improved nutrition, and advanced living conditions, scientists have become increasingly interested in identifying how long humans can actually live.
The study, conducted by statisticians from Tilburg and Erasmus universities, analyzed data spanning three decades on approximately 75,000 individuals in the Netherlands and has offered a conclusive answer.
Professor John Einmahl, one of the leading researchers, explained the implications of these findings, noting a unique paradox in modern aging trends.
“On average, people live longer, but the very oldest among us have not gotten older over the last thirty years,” Einmahl observed, per The Brighter Side.
He described this as hitting a ‘wall,’ where even as life expectancy increases, the ultimate lifespan appears to reach a plateau.
Despite an increasing number of people reaching the age of 95, the research suggests that the maximum lifespan has remained relatively unchanged.
The Dutch team’s work adds to similar research conducted in the United States, which found a comparable age ceiling but observed that the oldest people alive today are not necessarily surpassing the lifespans of prior generations.
This concept of a fixed maximum age, while surprising, is consistent with statistical models such as Extreme Value Theory, a method used to study rare events or outliers, such as the maximum possible age or catastrophic natural events.
Extreme Value Theory, in fact, played a crucial role in supporting the Dutch researchers’ claim of an age ceiling in the mid-110s.
Historical records of supercentenarians align closely with this proposed ceiling.
For instance, Jeanne Calment of France, who lived to 122 years and 164 days, holds the record as the oldest verified human, defying even the most optimistic projections.
Recent notable long-lived individuals include Jiroemon Kimura of Japan, who reached 116 years, and Sister André of France, who passed away last year at the age of 118.
These rare cases, while exceptional, still fall within a similar range that Einmahl and his team propose as the upper limit of human lifespan.
The study further clarifies a distinction often confused in discussions on aging: life expectancy versus lifespan.
Life expectancy refers to the average age that individuals within a certain population can expect to live, a figure influenced by societal and healthcare improvements.
In contrast, lifespan represents the theoretical maximum age an individual could reach under ideal conditions.
Though more people are reaching advanced ages, particularly their 90s, the likelihood of anyone living well beyond 115 years remains slim.
Professor Einmahl and his team are preparing their findings for submission to a peer-reviewed journal, anticipating that the study will prompt continued scientific dialogue on the biological constraints of human life.
But as it stands, it ultimately proposes that the maximum attainable age for women is 115.7 years, while for men, it is slightly lower at 114.1 years.
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