Longevity is long life or existence. Reflections on longevity have usually gone beyond acknowledging the basic shortness of human life and included thinking about, and conceiving, methods to extend life (indefinitely). Longevity has been a topic not only for the scientific community but also for writers of science fiction and utopian novels.
Different people have different lifestyles. But it appears that it matters most where in the world (rather than how) you live. Health care and hygiene seem to influence life expectancy more than any other factor (from the CIA World Fact Book):
- First World: 77-81 years
- Second World: 65-77 years
- Third World: 35-60 years
Food and lifestyle make rather a small difference (all from CIA World Fact Book 2002):
- USA: 77.4 years
- UK: 77.99 years
- Germany: 77.78 years
- France: 79.05 years
- Italy: 79.25 years
- Australia: 80 years
- Human growth hormone
- Strong Anti-oxidants
- Cryonics
- Caloric restriction mimicking agents.
- Minimising insulin uptake.
- A glass of wine or beer per day
(Please add to this list).Longevity in fiction