Is this true? Now that we're moving faster, we're living longer? Than people in the past?

Question

I've heard that scientists once put a plant out into space and moved it at a really fast speed and it lived like 4 times longer than usual.

My brother said that we're living much longer nowadays because we're moving faster - think about it, we take cars, planes, and other much faster vehicles than they had, in say, the 1900's.

Could this be true? Thoughts?
=]

Answer 1

You know, I wondered that same thing.

It all has to do with the speed of light. As you approach the speed of light, time slows down. But if you compare the speed of even a plane to the speed of light it is really negligible. You might be gaining a few minutes at most when all is said and done.

Answer 2

We're living longer but it's nothing to do with speed. We have far better medical care, healthier, more hygienic practices & technologies to make life easier & lengthen our life span than in the past. If you worked hard labour your whole life, walked ten miles everywhere, defecated in a bowl under the bed, bathed once a month & drank dirty water you probably wouldn't live as long as someone comfortably driving to each destination, sitting behind a desk drinking evian, with a clean bathroom to eliminate in and a shower every day. We're much less likely to get bubonic plague. Although they say there's a flu pandemic impending...Wash your hands!

As far as the speed theory goes (I don't think we can outrun death! Tee hee) & actually in some ways we're moving slower than in the past in terms of life cycle. In the past women might marry in their early teens, pop out 8 kids & be dead by 30 or 40. Now we marry later (if at all), have fewer children & live longer. Maybe it's the marriage that kills us! Tee hee

Seriously though, a lot of things that used to kill us off, we've found ways to circumvent. So nature has to find new ways to control the population. New diseases & disasters to contend with. But we have the means to prolong life now, even for the very ill. Never underestimate hygiene & medicine for keeping us alive! Maybe we can outrun death for a while!

Answer 3

We're living longer now because of the prevention of deadly diseases that once plagued us, such as smallpox. It is the immunizations and the reduction in infant and child mortality that has driven the average lifespan longer, not so much that people live longer. Also, C-sections have nearly eliminated death during childbirth--a problem that once claimed many young women's lives.
People living a century or two ago had a pretty good chance of making it to 70, providing they made it to 60. Making it to age 10 was the real challenge.
So my answer is "No," the rate at which we move has not increased the length of our lives. Modern medicine has.

Answer 4

Not true. People in some parts of the world are living longer due to better nutrition and better medical care.

In poorer parts of the world, they can ride on trucks, fly on planes, and still die of old age at 35.

Answer 5

Actually the reverse is true. It's just that we have made great strides in medical care and nutrition as well as disease prevention. This hides the effect that our faster life style is inflicting on us. In other words, given the advances, we should be living even longer.

Answer 6

I think medical advances have also contributed to us living longer. Also I believe in our minds we live too fast to fully appreciate our lives. Everyone seems to be in a hurry to become this or be there. Time exists only within our minds.

Answer 7

maybe statistics show us so. but the quality of living is more than stressed. live slowly and you will get old and die satisfied no matter when the death is coming. I can die satisfied in this minute. Because the life is endless it doesn't mater how long we live but what are we learning living. justOne

Answer 8

Wow, and here I thought it was just better healthcare.

Answer 9

no..

i dont think so..

thanks for askin..