logo
episode-header-image
Jun 2021
8m 58s

The doubling of life-expectancy

Bbc Radio 4
About this episode

Steven Johnson, author of Extra Life, tells the fascinating history of life expectancy, and the extraordinary achievements of the last century, in which it has practically doubled.

It’s a story that has data at its heart, from the ground-breaking invention of the category itself in 17th century London to the pioneering social health surveys of W.E.B. Du Bois in 1890s Philadelphia.

Tim Harford spoke to Steven about the numbers beneath possibly the most important number of all.

Up next
Jul 5
The economics of war: Vikings, Conquistadors and Vietnam
How does economics help us understand conflicts through history? That’s the question that economist and journalist Duncan Weldon tries to answer in his new book, Blood and Treasure. Tim talks to Duncan about the economic perspective on Viking raiders, Spanish conquest and the Vie ... Show More
8m 58s
Jul 2
Is the UK seeing a Christian revival?
Tim Harford looks at some of the numbers in the news and in life. This week:Is church-going making a comeback in the UK?Is it true that every day, 1000 people begin claiming personal independence payments, or PIP?When the government talks about how it “returns” illegal immigrants ... Show More
28m 17s
Jun 28
Has Russia suffered a million casualties in the Ukraine war?
It’s been over three years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the human toll is growing on both sides.Recently, politicians and journalists have declared a grim milestone, one million Russian casualties.But is this number accurate? Tim talks to Seth Jones, from the ... Show More
8m 59s
Recommended Episodes
Dec 2021
How humanity doubled life expectancy in a century | Steven Johnson
Doubling human life expectancy in a century is our greatest achievement, says author Steven Johnson. How did we make it happen -- and can we keep it going? Backed by fascinating historical anecdotes, he shares some life-lengthening innovations and reminds us of three key things n ... Show More
11m 38s
Oct 2021
How humanity doubled life expectancy in a century | Steven Johnson
Doubling human life expectancy in a century is our greatest achievement, says author Steven Johnson. How did we make it happen -- and can we keep it going? Backed by fascinating historical anecdotes, he shares some life-lengthening innovations and reminds us of three key things n ... Show More
12m 6s
Sep 2021
EXTRA LIFE: We Doubled Life Expectancy in the Last Century. Can We Do It Again?
Over the past century, the average human lifespan has doubled. That astonishing statistic is the subject of a new book and PBS series by acclaimed science writer Steven Johnson called “Extra Life: A Short History of Living Longer.” In this episode, he tells Rufus about the renega ... Show More
1h 11m
Jun 2021
Booth's Life and Labour Survey
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Charles Booth's survey, The Life and Labour of the People in London, published in 17 volumes from 1889 to 1903. Booth (1840-1916), a Liverpudlian shipping line owner, surveyed every household in London to see if it was true, as claimed, that as man ... Show More
48m 47s
Jun 2021
Booth's Life and Labour Survey
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Charles Booth's survey, The Life and Labour of the People in London, published in 17 volumes from 1889 to 1903. Booth (1840-1916), a Liverpudlian shipping line owner, surveyed every household in London to see if it was true, as claimed, that as man ... Show More
48m 47s
Mar 2023
Why We're Living Longer
Original broadcast date: March 22, 2022. In the last century, human life expectancy has doubled. This hour, we talk with writer Steven Johnson on the many breakthroughs that made this possible — and where we go from here. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.c ... Show More
50m 11s
Aug 2023
Lawrence Goldman, "Victorians and Numbers: Statistics and Society in Nineteenth Century Britain" (Oxford UP, 2022)
A defining feature of nineteenth-century Britain was its fascination with statistics. The processes that made Victorian society, including the growth of population, the development of industry and commerce, and the increasing competence of the state, generated profuse numerical d ... Show More
1h 31m
Aug 2021
The Sunday Read: ‘How Long Can We Live?’
Jeanne Calment lived her entire life in the South of France. She filled her days with leisurely pursuits, enjoying a glass of port, a cigarette and some chocolate nearly every day. In 1997, Ms. Calment died. She was 122.With medical and social advances mitigating diseases of old ... Show More
41m 13s
Mar 2022
Steven Johnson: Why We're Living Longer
In the last century, human life expectancy has doubled. This hour, we talk with writer Steven Johnson on the many breakthroughs that made this possible — and where we go from here. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy 
49m 44s
Jan 2024
The Birth of Actuarial Science and Life Insurance, Pt. 1
Actuarial science is all about calculating risk – risk of injury, illness, death, risk of market shifts and financial outcomes. Part one covers the earliest population tables and early examples of life insurance and assurance.  Research: Bell, John. “London’s Remembrancer … “ E. ... Show More
35m 6s