Humanity is Closer to Ancient Life Spans Than Future Life Spans

The Lifespan Gap in Human History

When we examine the arc of human history, it becomes clear that while technology has advanced at an exponential rate, human lifespans have not progressed nearly as fast. In fact, in terms of how long we live, humanity today is still much closer to ancient and primal lifespans than to the lifespan of the future we should be striving for.

Comparing Ancient and Modern Lifespans

Consider this: even though the average global life expectancy is now 70–80 years, that is still only about double what our primal ancestors lived — and far short of the lifespans envisioned in true longevity research, where humans could live 200 years or more.

For most of human history — from Australopithecus to ancient civilizations like the Maya and lifespans rarely exceeded 30–40 years. Today, although medicine and technology have extended life, many people still die far earlier than the average lifespan due to preventable causes such as disease, lack of healthcare, environmental hazards, and systemic inequality. In certain parts of the world, life expectancy is still barely above that of ancient civilizations.

Why This Matters for Futurism

This means humanity is still closer to the lifespans of our ancestors than to the radical longevity needed to truly call ourselves a “future species.” True futurism is not just about artificial intelligence, interplanetary travel, or technological progress — it is about radically extending human life itself. Longevity is the defining factor that transforms civilization from a continuation of the past into a true leap into the future.

The Risk of Living Like the Past

If humanity cannot push life expectancy far beyond what we have now — if we cannot turn centuries into a standard human experience — then much of what we call “progress” will remain an illusion. We may advance in technology, but biologically, we will still live like primal species. That is why longevity is not just a scientific goal; it is the most important frontier of futurism.