I'm hoping that there are some biologists on here that can help me with this.
As commonly documented, the average life expectancy is increasing rapidly, which is mostly attributed to a sharp decline in infant mortality, increased social health care services and a sharp decline in malnutrition in developed countries.
I remember hearing that the maximum life expectancy, however, remained untouched during these times and averages at about 120 years. That is to say that the increase in average life expectancy is not due to "everyone getting older" but due to "more people reaching ages closer to the maximum age".
Since a picture says it better than a thousand words: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/78/Lebenserwartung_in_D_01.svg
My questions are these:
1.) Is this true, or did I get something wrong?
2.) Is this due to the decrease in length of telomeres or are there other factors of equal or greater significance (e.g. lack of antioxidants; cellular debris, etc.)?
3.) Has there been any attempt at transfecting telomerases from one organism to another, leading to an increase in maximum life expectancy?
And, for those who want to answer:
4.) Isn't it kind of neat that the author(s) of Genesis 6:3 kind of got that number pretty straight (give or take), considering the fact that the average life expectancy of that time was well below? Sure, coincidence or perhaps even based on scientific observation - but pretty cool nonetheless..
As commonly documented, the average life expectancy is increasing rapidly, which is mostly attributed to a sharp decline in infant mortality, increased social health care services and a sharp decline in malnutrition in developed countries.
I remember hearing that the maximum life expectancy, however, remained untouched during these times and averages at about 120 years. That is to say that the increase in average life expectancy is not due to "everyone getting older" but due to "more people reaching ages closer to the maximum age".
Since a picture says it better than a thousand words: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/78/Lebenserwartung_in_D_01.svg
My questions are these:
1.) Is this true, or did I get something wrong?
2.) Is this due to the decrease in length of telomeres or are there other factors of equal or greater significance (e.g. lack of antioxidants; cellular debris, etc.)?
3.) Has there been any attempt at transfecting telomerases from one organism to another, leading to an increase in maximum life expectancy?
And, for those who want to answer:
4.) Isn't it kind of neat that the author(s) of Genesis 6:3 kind of got that number pretty straight (give or take), considering the fact that the average life expectancy of that time was well below? Sure, coincidence or perhaps even based on scientific observation - but pretty cool nonetheless..
