Old people are getting even older. The age to which the oldest people live
has been rising for more than a century, and 鈥渢here is no hint yet that trend is
slowing down鈥, says John Wilmoth of the University of California, Berkeley.
Wilmoth and his colleagues studied death records in Sweden, which date back to
1861, and used a computer model to calculate the 鈥渁verage oldest age at death鈥
for Swedish men and women. That average rose to about 105 in the 1960s, and shot
up to 108 in the 1990s (Science, vol 289, p 2366).
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Technology
Test moderators use AI-generated writing to judge literacy standards
News
Mind
THC in cannabis may reduce nightmares in people with PTSD
News
Environment
Fishers detonate a bomb every hour on one Indonesian coral reef
News
Environment
How bad is the UK drought and how long will it continue?
News
Popular articles
Trending New Scientist articles