ASK JiMMY + ThE BuG?

Hendrikje Van Andel-Schipper of the Netherlands celebrated her 114th birthday on June 29, 2004. Born in 1890, before the invention of sound movies, television, traffic lights, and zippers, Hendrikje is the world's oldest living person. (At least she was on September 20, 2004, when Jimmy and The Bug researched this question for you!)

The record for the oldest person who ever lived is held by Jeanne Louise Calment of France. She died on August 4, 1997, at the ripe old age of 122 years 164 days. In 1875, when she was born, the average human lifespan was about 40 years. Today in the United States, thanks advances in science and medicine, the average lifespan is about 77 years. Does that mean in the future people will live to be 200? Probably not. According to some experts, age limits for living things are programmed in their genes.

Scientists can tell a tree's age by counting its annual growth rings-the layers of new wood added to its trunk each year. They can tell a seal's age by counting rings of growth in the dentine layer of its teeth and a fish's age by the layers in its otoliths-small, white "stones" in its head that help with balance and hearing. Certain whales encode their age in earwax. Fin whales add two layers a year; humpbacks add four. But there's no way to tell how many years old a person is without knowing his or her birth date.

Hey, Kids!

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Copyright Carus Publishing Company Jan 2005
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