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The emergence of longevous populations.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Colchero, F; Rau, R; Jones, OR; Barthold, JA; Conde, DA; Lenart, A; Nemeth, L; Scheuerlein, A; Schoeley, J; Torres, C; Zarulli, V; Altmann, J ...
Published in: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
November 2016

The human lifespan has traversed a long evolutionary and historical path, from short-lived primate ancestors to contemporary Japan, Sweden, and other longevity frontrunners. Analyzing this trajectory is crucial for understanding biological and sociocultural processes that determine the span of life. Here we reveal a fundamental regularity. Two straight lines describe the joint rise of life expectancy and lifespan equality: one for primates and the second one over the full range of human experience from average lifespans as low as 2 y during mortality crises to more than 87 y for Japanese women today. Across the primate order and across human populations, the lives of females tend to be longer and less variable than the lives of males, suggesting deep evolutionary roots to the male disadvantage. Our findings cast fresh light on primate evolution and human history, opening directions for research on inequality, sociality, and aging.

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Published In

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

DOI

EISSN

1091-6490

ISSN

0027-8424

Publication Date

November 2016

Volume

113

Issue

48

Start / End Page

E7681 / E7690

Related Subject Headings

  • Sex Characteristics
  • Primates
  • Male
  • Longevity
  • Life Expectancy
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Biological Evolution
  • Animals
 

Citation

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Colchero, F., Rau, R., Jones, O. R., Barthold, J. A., Conde, D. A., Lenart, A., … Vaupel, J. W. (2016). The emergence of longevous populations. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 113(48), E7681–E7690. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1612191113
Colchero, Fernando, Roland Rau, Owen R. Jones, Julia A. Barthold, Dalia A. Conde, Adam Lenart, Laszlo Nemeth, et al. “The emergence of longevous populations.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 113, no. 48 (November 2016): E7681–90. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1612191113.
Colchero F, Rau R, Jones OR, Barthold JA, Conde DA, Lenart A, et al. The emergence of longevous populations. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 2016 Nov;113(48):E7681–90.
Colchero, Fernando, et al. “The emergence of longevous populations.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, vol. 113, no. 48, Nov. 2016, pp. E7681–90. Epmc, doi:10.1073/pnas.1612191113.
Colchero F, Rau R, Jones OR, Barthold JA, Conde DA, Lenart A, Nemeth L, Scheuerlein A, Schoeley J, Torres C, Zarulli V, Altmann J, Brockman DK, Bronikowski AM, Fedigan LM, Pusey AE, Stoinski TS, Strier KB, Baudisch A, Alberts SC, Vaupel JW. The emergence of longevous populations. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 2016 Nov;113(48):E7681–E7690.
Journal cover image

Published In

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

DOI

EISSN

1091-6490

ISSN

0027-8424

Publication Date

November 2016

Volume

113

Issue

48

Start / End Page

E7681 / E7690

Related Subject Headings

  • Sex Characteristics
  • Primates
  • Male
  • Longevity
  • Life Expectancy
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Biological Evolution
  • Animals