People Today Live Twice as Long

If you’re interested in history like we are, you may be part of some Facebook group. And a common notion you’ll find is that we live twice as long as people in the past did. It’s almost like we have it better now, and old age was a rarity some centuries ago.

That looks like the case on paper, but it ignores one factor; child mortality. But thanks to advances in the medical field, several illnesses are diagnosed and treated conveniently. Unfortunately, people back then didn’t have that luxury. So, bar child mortality, the life expectancy of both eras isn’t too different.