Can We Live to be 200?
Average life expectancy across the world has roughly doubled in the past century. In the U.S., the passing of every day marks another five hours added to people’s lives; the number of Americans who are 100 or older has doubled since 2000. The chief cause of this remarkably benign trend is the defeat of serious infectious disease, but there are other elements as well: Heart disease is killing fewer, and stroke is striking later.
From a Matt Ridley review of Eternity Soup.
In living to 200, what if the last half of your life you are suffering from dementia?
Good point,Tom. I suppose the ideal would be to have the mental acuity of a twenty year old — but have it last for the next 190 years.
The really interesting speculation is: what if we defeat death altogether? what if imortality is actually possible?
Apparently Japan has, per capita, twice the number of centenarians (22 per 100,000) as the United States (10 per 100,000). And, Japan has universal health care.