Study Finds That Humans May Have Reached Limit Of Lifespan

A new study has been looking at some of the aspects of humanity that are most important to mankind including height, lifespan, and physical performance. The study has found that humans have biological limits and that humanity may have already reached them. The study did find that environmental factors, like climate change, could have a negative impact on those limits.

The study was published in Frontiers in Physiology and looked at 120 years of historical information, this was the first review of its kind. The review looked at the historical information and considered the genetic and environmental parameters of that information. While it was thought that with each generation of human, we live longer and longer the review suggests a maximum threshold to biology that can't be exceeded.

The team from France looked at trends in the historical records and found what they call a plateau in maximum biological limits for a human's height, age, and physical abilities. According to the researchers despite continuing nutritional, medical, and scientific progress these human traits no longer increases.

The study authors suggest that modern societies have allows the species to reach its limits and that we are the first generation aware of this limitation. The scientists say that rather than continually improving, what we are seeing is a shift in the proportion of the population that are reaching the previously recorded maximum limits for the population.

The team did find that the environment plays a critical role in reaching these limits. According to one of the team Professor Jean-François Toussaint, the decline in human capacities seen today is a sign that environmental changes like climate are a major contributing factor.

SOURCE: Science Daily