How human lifespan doubled in just 100 years

[Allan]

A bit of a long read but a fascinating look at the elements that doubled human lifespan between 1920 and 2020. From the discovery of vaccines and antibiotics to food and water safety each discovery played a role, sometimes substantially, in increasing lifespan.

The article goes into detail on scientific discoveries and vaccination programs that were successful in eliminating Smallpox and reducing the impact of other diseases.

In effect, during the century since the end of the Great Influenza outbreak, the average human life span has doubled. There are few measures of human progress more astonishing than this. If you were to publish a newspaper that came out just once a century, the banner headline surely would — or should — be the declaration of this incredible feat. But of course, the story of our extra life span almost never appears on the front page of our actual daily newspapers, because the drama and heroism that have given us those additional years are far more evident in hindsight than they are in the moment. That is, the story of our extra life is a story of progress in its usual form: brilliant ideas and collaborations unfolding far from the spotlight of public attention, setting in motion incremental improvements that take decades to display their true magnitude.

Another reason we have a hard time recognizing this kind of progress is that it tends to be measured not in events but in nonevents: the smallpox infection that didn’t kill you at age 2; the accidental scrape that didn’t give you a lethal bacterial infection; the drinking water that didn’t poison you with cholera. In a sense, human beings have been increasingly protected by an invisible shield, one that has been built, piece by piece, over the last few centuries, keeping us ever safer and further from death. It protects us through countless interventions, big and small: the chlorine in our drinking water, the ring vaccinations that rid the world of smallpox, the data centers mapping new outbreaks all around the planet.

How the human lifespan doubled in 100 years.

 

[Luther]

A bit of a long read but a fascinating look at the elements that doubled human lifespan between 1920 and 2020. From the discovery of vaccines and antibiotics to food and water safety each discovery played a role, sometimes substantially, in increasing lifespan.

The article goes into detail on scientific discoveries and vaccination programs that were successful in eliminating Smallpox and reducing the impact of other diseases.



How the human lifespan doubled in 100 years.

No wonder leftist are harping on we're now too over populated

 

[Allan]

No wonder leftist are harping on we're now too over populated

Science is hard for you isn't it.

 

[Luther]

Science is hard for you isn't it.

So I was wrong in what I said?

 

[Allan]

So I was wrong in what I said?

Yep, as usual. The world is not overpopulated. You've posted a strawman that isn't even related to the article, which obviously you didn't even read. Because science is hard for you.

 

[Luther]

Yep, as usual. The world is not overpopulated. You've posted a strawman that isn't even related to the article, which obviously you didn't even read. Because science is hard for you.

Allan, you know and I know leftist lead the charge on over population rhetoric

Yep

 

[Luther]

Science is hard for you isn't it.

No, its not hard

We're living longer because of Medical/diet advances?

 

[Slartibartfast]

Most of the time progress is peaceful and quiet while setbacks are loud and get all the attention.

 

[ttwtt78640]

While a 100% increase in lifespan since 1920 is impressive, one should consider that $1 (US) in 1920 has inflated to about $13.50 today and the world’s population has grown from about 2B in 1920 to about 8B today.

 

[Luther]

Most of the time progress is peaceful and quiet while setbacks are loud and get all the attention.

Most of the time progress is peaceful and quiet

As well as the unintended consequences of progress

 

[bluesmoke]

Just a note that the human lifespan has not at all significantly changed in the last 100 yrs, only the average lifespan. The human as a species or organism cannot live any longer than before, it's just than on average it is living longer for various reasons given having little to do with such as adaptation or improvement of the organism, the life form itself.

 

[calamity]

A bit of a long read but a fascinating look at the elements that doubled human lifespan between 1920 and 2020. From the discovery of vaccines and antibiotics to food and water safety each discovery played a role, sometimes substantially, in increasing lifespan.

The article goes into detail on scientific discoveries and vaccination programs that were successful in eliminating Smallpox and reducing the impact of other diseases.



How the human lifespan doubled in 100 years.

Oil played a big part too. Cheap energy holds the key to longevity.

 

[Allan]

Just a note that the human lifespan has not at all significantly changed in the last 100 yrs, only the average lifespan. The human as a species or organism cannot live any longer than before, it's just than on average it is living longer for various reasons given having little to do with such as adaptation or improvement of the organism, the life form itself.

Yes you're right - potential lifespan hasn't much changed. Just that many of the barriers to achieving that lifespan have been mitigated.

 

[j brown's body]

A bit of a long read but a fascinating look at the elements that doubled human lifespan between 1920 and 2020. From the discovery of vaccines and antibiotics to food and water safety each discovery played a role, sometimes substantially, in increasing lifespan.

The article goes into detail on scientific discoveries and vaccination programs that were successful in eliminating Smallpox and reducing the impact of other diseases.



How the human lifespan doubled in 100 years.

Government and public health played a key role.

 

[Tonawanda]

Very nice chart and graphics!

Even though it didn't go back far enough.

 

[gdgyva]

A bit of a long read but a fascinating look at the elements that doubled human lifespan between 1920 and 2020. From the discovery of vaccines and antibiotics to food and water safety each discovery played a role, sometimes substantially, in increasing lifespan.

The article goes into detail on scientific discoveries and vaccination programs that were successful in eliminating Smallpox and reducing the impact of other diseases.



How the human lifespan doubled in 100 years.

Which is exactly why pensions have basically gone away...companies and people good with numbers looked at the trends and said WTF

someone who is 55 and retires after 35 years may live another 40 years collecting pensions and insurance benefits (the system was NEVER designed to last that long)

so there are pluses on our living longer, and there are minuses....

the financial aspect of living longer will be the harder piece to figure out for a lot of people

 

[j brown's body]

I wonder if right-wingers were as suspicous of inspected milk then as they are of wearing masks now.

 

[ASHES]

Tl;Dr

Spoiler

 

[noonereal]

From the discovery of vaccines and antibiotics to food and water safety each discovery played a role, sometimes substantially, in increasing lifespan.

You don't believe this trash do you? We all know vaccines cause human mutations, water safety is unnecessary and antibiotics are unnecessary.

I am sure this is how Fox News will spin it to keep their dolts happy.

 

[noonereal]

Government and public health played a key role.

Indeed, without government, we would still have child labor, no workplace safety rules and be dying of bad food regularly.

But government bad says the uneducated Trumpist.

 

[AmNat]

A bit of a long read but a fascinating look at the elements that doubled human lifespan between 1920 and 2020. From the discovery of vaccines and antibiotics to food and water safety each discovery played a role, sometimes substantially, in increasing lifespan.

The article goes into detail on scientific discoveries and vaccination programs that were successful in eliminating Smallpox and reducing the impact of other diseases.



How the human lifespan doubled in 100 years.

Most of this gain is due to the reduction in infant mortality. The increases in adult life expectancy are much less dramatic.

 

[NewfieMom]

Indeed, without government, we would still have child labor, no workplace safety rules and be dying of bad food regularly.

But government bad says the uneducated Trumpist.

I had not been following this thread, but Allan drew my attention to it and I find it really interesting. The comment above by noonereal immediately made me think of The Progressive Era, which had a huge influence on many of the areas that have been mentioned in this thread. Muckrakers and journalists uncovered what really went on behind the scene in food processing. Factory conditions were exposed and unions started to be formed. It was really a watershed moment in history.

Upton Sinclair - The Jungle, Books & Quotes

Upton Sinclair was an activist writer whose works, including 'The Jungle' and 'Boston,' often uncovered social injustices.

www.biography.com

 

[noonereal]

I had not been following this thread, but Allan drew my attention to it and I find it really interesting. The comment above by noonereal immediately made me think of The Progressive Era, which had a huge influence on many of the areas that have been mentioned in this thread. Muckrakers and journalists uncovered what really went on behind the scene in food processing. Factory conditions were exposed and unions started to be formed. It was really a watershed moment in history.

Upton Sinclair - The Jungle, Books & Quotes

Upton Sinclair was an activist writer whose works, including 'The Jungle' and 'Boston,' often uncovered social injustices.

www.biography.com

I think we all read The Jungle in high school. Thanks to government, we did not live it.