In the last hundreds of years, life expectancy has been continuously increasing. Food, (clean) water, sanitation, and medical care have all improved. A baby born today will most certainly live many years longer than their parents. This is determined by their birthplace, year of birth, and surroundings.
The maximum age is the absolute greatest age that can be attained. It appears to be a genetically fixed limit that is unaffected by food or environment. Depending on culture and geography, this maximum life span is believed to be between 120 and 130 years old.
Since the dawn of civilisation, the maximum age has remained constant. The rise in life expectancy is due to a bigger percentage of individuals living to a later age. However, we're still a long way from fully comprehending or influencing the process at work.
Telomeres are the small DNA fragments at the ends of our chromosomes that are reappeared. During replication, they operate as a shield for all of our chromosomes. The telomeres that protect our chromosomes in most human somatic cells are not regenerated in life.
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