Has The Life Span of Humans Increased?

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Despite man’s continuous efforts to extend his “life span,” this has not happened, although “life expectancy” has increased in many lands. What is the difference? This was explained by James Fries and Lawrence Crapo in their report “Vitality and Aging” 1981. Pages 74, 75. “The AVERAGE length of life in the United States has increased from approximately 47 years at the turn of the century to over 73 years today. An increase of over 25 years…A critical look at these data, however, shows that the increase in life EXPECTANCY results from the elimination of premature death rather than by extension of the natural life span.” In other words, as doctors were better equipped to keep babies from dying, the AVERAGE length of life increased. An AVERAGE factors in all births. That’s the difference between “life span” and “life expectancy.” Babies are expected to live longer now and they do, because of modern medical progress in neonatal medicine. And other advances in medical care has saved many lives from disease and accidental death. However, the “life span” has not increased, when you factor in all deaths. It’s just as the Bible says at Psalms 90:10 “In themselves the days of our years are seventy years; and if because of special mightiness they are eighty years, yet their insistence is on trouble and hurtful things.” The fact is, in ancient times, the Patriarchs of the Bible lived much longer, some living over 900 years. But the human life “span” has dropped rapidly since then. And there is a good reason for that. Stay tuned for more information on this subject.