Scientists Discover The Maximum Age a Human Can Live To

We often hear about average life expectancies — in the U.S., it’s about 78.39 years, in the UK around 81.24, and in Canada roughly 81.65. But what if you’re anxious about your personal “deadline”? Recent research suggests that, while many of us live past those averages, there may indeed be a ceiling on how old humans can get.

The Dutch Study: 75,000 Death Records, a “Ceiling” Discovered

Scientists from Tilburg and Erasmus Universities in the Netherlands analyzed 75,000 Dutch death records over three decades (up to 2017). Their goal: to see when a person’s age at death stops increasing, even as more people live longer.

• They found that while average life expectancy has risen, the maximum age reached in the population has remained relatively flat.
• Using Extreme Value Theory, they estimated a ceiling of 115.7 years for women, and 114.1 years for men.

Professor John Einmahl, one of the study authors, noted:

“On average, people live longer, but the very oldest among us have not gotten older over the last thirty years.”
He cautioned that while many live longer, the upper bound seems unchanged.

Still, the authors admitted there are rare exceptions.

Record-Holders That Defy Rules (But Don’t Disprove Them)

Even though the Dutch study suggests limits, a few documented people have lived beyond those estimates:

• Jeanne Calment (France) is often cited as the oldest verified person: she died at 122 years and 164 days.
• In Japan, Jiroemon Kimura is recognized as the oldest verified man, reaching 116 years and 54 days.

These supercentenarians are extraordinary outliers. They don’t necessarily contradict the notion of a “ceiling,” but suggest that under rare circumstances, outliers can overshoot normal limits.

Science Weighs In: Is 115 a Hard Limit?

The question of a maximum human lifespan is hotly debated among demographers, statisticians, and biologists.

• Some researchers argue that 115 is a practical “effective limit”: beyond it, chances of survival drop so steeply they become negligible.
• Others believe the limit is not yet reached or is flexible depending on medical, genetic, or environmental advances.
• A model based on Gompertz’s Law of mortality suggests that mortality rates increase exponentially with age; extrapolated, some claim the “upper bound” hovers around 120 years.

So while 115 is a strong estimate based on current data, it’s not universally accepted as a hard limit.

What You Can Take Away

If you fear death or aging (thanatophobia), here’s what this research suggests:

• You’re unlikely to live forever. But current data suggests a limit near 115 years — far beyond average lifespans.
• Outliers exist, but they’re extremely rare. You can hope for maximum longevity, but plan within normal ranges.
• Focus less on the end date, and more on quality of life, health, purpose, and meaning in the years you have.