When Masazo Nonaka was born in 1905, Queen Victoria had only recently died; Albert EinsteinA German-born physicist, whose work in the early 20th Century revolutionised scientific understanding of the world. was revolutionising the world of physics; and the Ford Model T car was still years from production.
The oldest man on Earth dies aged 113
When Masazo Nonaka was born in 1905, Queen Victoria had only recently died; Albert EinsteinA German-born physicist, whose work in the early 20th Century revolutionised scientific understanding of the world. was revolutionising the world of physics; and the Ford Model T car was still years from production.
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One hundred and thirteen years later - a time spanning two World Wars, the rise of nuclear power and the digital revolution - he is dead, passing away peacefully last Sunday.
Born in Japan, Nonaka attributed his long life to soaking in hot springs and eating sweets. His daughter pointed to his stress-free life (Nonaka spent his retirement watching sumo wrestling and reading newspapers).
Japan has the highest life expectancyThe number of years that a person can expect to live. in the world. And there is one place where people live longer than anywhere else: Okinawa Island.
For every 100,000 inhabitants, 68 are over 100 years old more than three times the rate in America. Okinawans also have very low rates of illness, including heart disease, cancer and dementiaA syndrome associated with memory loss and other declining brain functions. .
Scientists now think there could be one key factor: what they eat. People on the island eat a high ration of carbohydratesOne of the three main nutrients found in food and drinks, broken down into glucose (or blood sugar) by the body. (often in the form of sweet potatoes). Research has shown that low protein, high carbohydrate diets can protect us from various age-related diseases.
That is not all. Okinawa also has a healthy way of life. Its inhabitants tend not to smoke, they exercise regularly and socialise within tight-knit communities.
While all this sounds fairly simple, across the world in Silicon ValleyA global centre of technological innovation in Northern California. It is home to many start-up and global technology companies including Apple, Facebook and Google. , a cast of entrepreneurs are experimenting with modern life-prolonging technologies.
Blood infusions, concoctions of pills, bioengineeringAlso known as genetic engineering. . An entire industry has been established with the aim of extending human life way beyond 100 years. "The proposition that we can live forever is obvious," claims entrepreneur Arram Sabeti. "It doesn't violate the laws of physics, so we can achieve it."
What this means for the rest of us, only time will tell.
As Yuval Noah HarariThe Israeli historian and author of Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind. He argues that a cognitive revolution, around 70,000 years ago, gave us the powerful tool of imagination that made all future development possible. argues, if life-prolonging technology is only available to the super-rich, it could be the end of civilisation as we know it. "Humankind might consequently split into biological castes," he writes. "Once a real gap... opens between the rich and the poor, it will become almost impossible to close."
So how long would you like to live for? Would 150 years be a good human life? Longer? Shorter? What if many of these later years were lived in a state of disease and immobility. Would it be better to have a shorter, sweeter life? Is it crazy to aim for immortality?
These questions could become more urgent than they first appear. As technology improves, some expect life-preserving treatments to become a reality. But what impact could this have on society? Would it really be good if everyone started living longer lives?
What do we know? The current limit for the span of a human life is around 115 years. Life expectancy in Britain is 83 for women and 79 for men. Diet is one of many things that impacts life expectancy. Lifestyle choices, environmental factors and genetics all contribute too.
What do we not know? We do not know how far a human life can be extended beyond this 115-year mark. However, scientists have had some success in artificially prolonging the lives of some animals. American researchers demonstrated that a mutation in a single gene could allow a roundworm to live twice as long as usual. Mice have also been genetically engineered to have longer lives.
Albert Einstein - A German-born physicist, whose work in the early 20th Century revolutionised scientific understanding of the world.
Life expectancy - The number of years that a person can expect to live.
Dementia - A syndrome associated with memory loss and other declining brain functions.
Carbohydrates - One of the three main nutrients found in food and drinks, broken down into glucose (or blood sugar) by the body.
Silicon Valley - A global centre of technological innovation in Northern California. It is home to many start-up and global technology companies including Apple, Facebook and Google.
Bioengineering - Also known as genetic engineering.
Yuval Noah Harari - The Israeli historian and author of Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind. He argues that a cognitive revolution, around 70,000 years ago, gave us the powerful tool of imagination that made all future development possible.
The oldest man on Earth dies aged 113

Glossary
Albert Einstein - A German-born physicist, whose work in the early 20th Century revolutionised scientific understanding of the world.
Life expectancy - The number of years that a person can expect to live.
Dementia - A syndrome associated with memory loss and other declining brain functions.
Carbohydrates - One of the three main nutrients found in food and drinks, broken down into glucose (or blood sugar) by the body.
Silicon Valley - A global centre of technological innovation in Northern California. It is home to many start-up and global technology companies including Apple, Facebook and Google.
Bioengineering - Also known as genetic engineering.
Yuval Noah Harari - The Israeli historian and author of Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind. He argues that a cognitive revolution, around 70,000 years ago, gave us the powerful tool of imagination that made all future development possible.