[Fish Ead]

I've noticed that there are a number of cases of unaugmented humans living well beyond what we would consider "normal" age in our time. I reckon there are a number of possible reason for this.

1) Although technology is not really understood it is still more advanced compared to today's. Perhaps medical science has found a way to cure many of the diseases that prevent us from living so long

2) Some level of evolution. Now eveolution is a process that takes millions of years, but perhaps there is some degree of this going on to the point where people live for maybe another 10years even if #1 wasnt true

3) The effects of warp travel. I heard somewhere that warp travel actually makes people in 40k live longer (assuming they dont get their brains fried by some daemonic entity). Something to do with the distortions in time caused by the warp or something. Little help? Maybe Wargamer knows.

Anyway, I just srted this for the purpose of discussion, especially after seeing the "marine lifespan" thread. I reckon it might be interesting to discuss why humans seem to be living longer in 40k

[Nova]

Well the main thing about the warp is that it seems to distort time outright. As in jump imperfectly and you pop out a few years later.

So as far as everyone else is concerned, say, 10 years have passed.

Do this a few times and all of a sudden you've been around the galaxy for quite a bit longer.

Add in the cybers (to replace all those flimsy failing organs) and juvenat drugs/processes and someone could easily live a few centuries.

Barring disease or unnatural causes (such as plasma and bolters to the head), if genetic damage can be reversed or negated, or telomerase repaired (thus making it way easier as far as avoiding cancers are concerned), you can live a lot longer..

[Wargamer]

Human lifespan remains largely unchanged. Warp-dilation does not make you "older"... you would still be twenty, or forty, or whatever, you've just been around for longer.

Bionics, Juvenat and other life-sustaining treatments are available, though only to the rich and powerful.

[Scout Sergeant Mkoll]

Actually I think human life-span has increased. After all Slaydo was 120 and still in fighting condition on Balhaut.

[Wargamer]

He is a Warmaster. He is hardly common-as-muck. He is the sort of person with access to life-sustaining tech and treatment.

Natural lifespan would be largely unchanged, if not lessened (some of the worlds out there are pretty inhospitable).

[Scout Sergeant Mkoll]

Yeah I suppose so. I think it has slightly been increased though. How many 50+ year olds could fight a war now?

[Praying Mantidae]

I would think the (natural) human life-span would increase, I mean it has been increasing fairly steadily throughout the years, why should it stop increasing forty thousand years from now? Obviously you've got harsh planets that'll lessen a person's life expectancy, and you've got warzones everywhere. But I think on average a normal person in 40k would expect to live to see 100 years at least.

[Sp_Inquisitor]

Really, if you look at the mortallity rates for 40k humans, I would have to say that the averagge has decreased dramatically.

I mean, sure there are bionics and drugs to keep you going, but considering that only cardinals, generals and adaptus are the ones with ennough resources to afford these things, I think its safe to say that 40k people are as fragile as we are.

Couple with this the huge number of invasions, alien diseases, riots, famines, colateral damage, and Inquistol 'help', a normal Imperial citizen really only lives about 50yrs.

And don't even get me started on psykers or mutants. I know cats that live longer.

So, despite technology and knowledge, rember that these things are only for the rich and powerful, while the masses of the Imperium are most often in the front catching bolts (quite literaly for the IG).

[Kasrkin]

Originally Posted by Spirit of the All-father

I would think the (natural) human life-span would increase, I mean it has been increasing fairly steadily throughout the years, why should it stop increasing forty thousand years from now? Obviously you've got harsh planets that'll lessen a person's life expectancy, and you've got warzones everywhere. But I think on average a normal person in 40k would expect to live to see 100 years at least.

Don't forget that the "average" Imperial citizen lives in some dirty, diseased, overcrowded Hive City eating little else but recycled bogeys every day doing most likely dangerous finger slicing heavy machinery type jobs and little or no healthcare other than "have a drink, it'll take the pain away". Not exactly conducive to a long and healthy life now, is it?

Then of course you've got all those people living on feudal and feral worlds...

[crazedmongoose2003]

It all depends on the quality of life seeing as most of them would not have access to life lengthening technology. We should stop talking about the Imperium like some single constant entity. Its made from a hundred thousand worlds, all with different conditions and governments. Most of them uninterfered with by the Administratum. There's healthy clean garden worlds, there's rough and ready slums. The average life span on those worlds would be radically different.