But eventually, even with all the resources and coddling the world can possibly provide, a species will reach the limit of its natural life span. A study published Wednesday in Nature suggests that the natural human life span maxes out at about 115 years. For decades, the ages of the oldest living people were increasing over time — but that slowed and pretty much stopped by the 1980s. The results may sound straightforward, but life span is a debated subject in the scientific community. The authors of the new study argue that to significantly increase the human life span, one would have to use genetic engineering and pharmaceutical intervention to plug the ever-springing, ever-changing leaks in a crumbling dam.

Source: Washington Post October 06, 2016 14:26 UTC