Scientists reveal the maximum number of years humans can stay alive

Advancements in technology and science have led to innovative treatments and procedures that extend lifespans. Researchers are now exploring how the human life cycle is evolving and the potential for humans to live even longer. According to Scientific American, it’s possible that humans could now live up to 150 years. Heather Whitson, director of the Duke University Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, discussed the factors that contribute to this possibility.

Whitson said, “They are asking the question of 'What’s the longest life that could be lived by a human complex system if everything else went really well, and it’s in a stressor-free environment?’” The findings revealed that an underlying pace of aging is what limits the lifespan of a human being. The study also found that when people are younger, it is easier for the body to detect and respond to various stressors. Whitson added that the process is quite different for older people. “Everything is just a little bit dampened, a little slower to respond, and you can get overshoots,” she said.

Venki Ramakrishnan, a Nobel Prize-winner and molecular biologist, shared in an interview with CNN that a human being starts aging right from the time they’re in the womb. “We start aging when we’re in the womb, although at that point, we’re growing faster than we’re accumulating damage. Aging happens throughout our lives, right from the very beginning,” Ramakrishnan said. Discussing the concept of death and when it arrives among individuals, the biologist said, “Think of the body as like a city containing lots of systems that must work together. Once an organ system critical to our survival fails, we die.” The lifespan of human beings has drastically increased over the years.

Our World in Data reports that decades of advancements in health and technology have enabled people today to live nearly twice as long as those in the 1990s. Ramakrishnan believes that one’s lifespan has a lot to do with evolution. “A layperson might assume that all life forms are preset to die once they’ve reached a certain age. But biologists don’t believe that aging and death are programmed in the sense that a fertilized egg is programmed to develop into a human being,” he said. “Lifespan is all about evolution, maximizing the chances of your passing along your genes.”

However, the biologist highlighted that the same could fluctuate based on varying reasons. “In humans, this finely tuned resource balance grants us a maximum lifespan of about 120 years. But that doesn’t mean we can’t alter biology and intervene in these processes of aging and maybe extend our lives,” he explained. Ramakrishnan shared that Jeanne Clement is recorded to be the oldest person who died at 122 in 1997. Though he agrees that the same can be surpassed, he has more creative views to add, “I think if we lived to be 150, we’d be fretting about why we’re not living to 200 or 300. It’s never-ending.” 

Editor's Note: This article was originally published on April 19, 2024. It has since been updated.