Life expectancy has increased dramatically over the last hundred years due to advancements in medicine, living conditions, and healthier lifestyles. The trend is expected to continue – increasing wealth and the march of technological innovation are vital in extending human life
Historical Perspective
In 1925, the worldwide average life expectancy was around 42. maybe our grandparents can still remember, as one of the witnesses of the time, how her world used to be. By 2025, this figure has increased to approximately 74. There are several reasons for this growth, including:
- The discovery and widespread use of antibiotics and vaccines.
- Improvements in public health infrastructure, such as sanitation and clean water.
- Who have better nutrition and access to medical care.
- Economic growth equals more prosperous living standards.
- It is shocking to read of life expectancy over a period of 100 years.
Life Expectancy Over the Past 100 Years
Here is a chart showing how much longer people are living compared to the past century:
This chart shows that life expectancy at birth has been rising steadily for the last 100 years.
Wealth and Longevity: The Role of Wealth
Studies consistently show that the wealthier members of the community live longer than the non-wealthy. Wealth provides access to:
- Improved health care, including preventive treatment and advanced medical procedures.
- Better quality food and a better lifestyle.
- Reduced exposure to toxic environments and better living conditions.
Studies show that people in the richest households live 6–8 years longer than their poorer counterparts. This gap is projected to be even wider due to ongoing healthcare inequalities.
The Affordance of Technology in Managing Life Expectancy
The acceleration of medical and technological innovation will take the human lifespan even further. Key advancements include:
- AI and precision medicine are enabling early detection and individualized therapies.
- In addition, stem cell therapy and regenerative medicine, heal tissues and maybe slow the aging process.
- CRISPR CAS9 gene edit applications in age-related disease treatment
- This is the evolution of healthcare trackers like wearables and AI-based solutions for health recommendations to enhance preventive care.
One consequence of increased longevity from technological advances could be an average of 2 years added to life expectancy every decade, experts say, so that the average person born now may live beyond 100 (maybe reach 120 – 130)
Personal Forecast: Life Expectancy for a 35-Year-Old in 2025
For this, let’s use the case of someone who was born in 1990 and turns 35 in 2025. Assuming that life expectancy trends (74 years) continue, that wealth contributes +6 years of life, and that technology continues to improve (+2 years per decade), their life expectancy would be:
- 2025 (35): Baseline life expectancy = 74 years
- 2035 (45): +2 years from technology → 76 years
- 2045 (age 55): +2 more → 78 years
- 2055 (65): +2 years → 80 years
- 2065 (age 75): 82 years +2 more years →
- 2090 (age 95): +15 more years → 93 years
- 2085 (age 95): +2 more years → 86 years
- 2095 (age 105): +or: +2 more years → 88 years
- 2105 (age 115): +2 more years → 90 years
This forecast indicates that if medicine and technology continue to improve, then a 35-year-old in 2025 could live comfortably to 100+, ideally 105–110-115. (maybe 120)
Conclusion
While predicting a precise lifespan is impossible, one thing is clear: Both technology and money will continue to determine how long we live. Those who have access to better health care, nutrition, and advanced medical treatments will, one would expect, live much longer and healthier lives. In the coming decades, living to over 100 will likely become commonplace rather than the exception, should current trends prevail.
Sources
- World Health Organization (WHO) – Global Health Observatory Data:
https://www.who.int/data/gho - Our World in Data – Life Expectancy Over Time:
https://ourworldindata.org/life-expectancy - National Institutes of Health (NIH) – Advances in Longevity Research:
https://www.nih.gov - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – Life Expectancy Trends:
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data_access/vitalstatsonline.htm - The Lancet – Life Expectancy Projections:
https://www.thelancet.com - Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health – Impact of Wealth on Longevity:
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu - MIT Technology Review – The Future of Aging and Longevity:
https://www.technologyreview.com - National Geographic – The Science of Living Longer:
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/longevity
