By mid-century, some countries may have life expectancies approaching 100 and life expectancies might approach 130 by 2050, predicts Dr. James Vaupel, director of the laboratory of survival and longevity at the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research.

“There is no fixed life span…. From 1840 until today, the life expectancy in the countries that are doing the best has increased two and a half years per decade.

“There is no reason that life expectancy can’t continue to go up two to three years per decade. Biomedical progress is really very impressive. We are beginning to understand cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease. In animal models, we are beginning to understand how to slow aging itself.”