# Average Star Trek Human Life Expectancy? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 27, 2009, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/average-star-trek-human-life-expectancy/522685 "2009-12-27T06:37:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![boilercake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@boilercake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boilercake)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/average-star-trek-human-life-expectancy/522685/1 "2009-12-27T06:37:25Z")
Just finished watching the latest (excellent) Star Trek film, and a sort-of indirect mention was made of Spock’s age, which got me wondering with all the medical advances in place in the Star Trek canon, how old could a red shirt expect to live if they were to actually/eventually die of “natural causes?” ---
**Author:** ![Anduinel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Anduinel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anduinel)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/average-star-trek-human-life-expectancy/522685/2 "2009-12-27T06:42:24Z")
It’s been ages, but I seem to recall one of the episode guides mentioning that 70 was considered middle-aged for a human during the TNG run. I don’t recall a lot of that ever being played out on screen, though. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/average-star-trek-human-life-expectancy/522685/3 "2009-12-27T06:57:08Z")
According to Memory Alpha, average [human](http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Human) lifespan by the 24th century is 120 years. As an outlier, [Dr Leonard McCoy](http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Leonard_McCoy) was 137 when he was last seen\*, on an early episode of TNG. - Well, last seen as the series chronology goes…real world chronology several of the TOS movies came out after that episode. ---
**Author:** ![BMax](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bmax/32/4267_2.png) [@BMax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMax)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/average-star-trek-human-life-expectancy/522685/4 "2009-12-27T07:15:41Z")
I’m not sure, but I think I recall an episode of TNG where Picard got a medical check up and he was in his mid 80’s, portrayed by a very fit man in his 50’s. ---
**Author:** ![Leiko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Leiko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leiko)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/average-star-trek-human-life-expectancy/522685/5 "2009-12-27T07:21:53Z")
**BMax** , Picard was 59 when he got the Enterprise. By Nemesis, he was 74. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/average-star-trek-human-life-expectancy/522685/6 "2009-12-27T11:08:37Z")
> [@Leiko](#): > > **BMax** , Picard was 59 when he got the Enterprise. By Nemesis, he was 74. Don’t forget, Picard has had three artificial hearts. As long as he has no other health problems, he could live a very long time, indeed. ---
**Author:** ![audit1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@audit1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audit1)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/average-star-trek-human-life-expectancy/522685/7 "2009-12-27T11:38:58Z")
In the Deep Space Nine novels, we meet Elias Vaughn a 100 year old human still on active duty in Starfleet. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/average-star-trek-human-life-expectancy/522685/8 "2009-12-27T14:29:51Z")
The general medical technology of Star Trek is a huge anachronism. We’ll have greatly increased lifespans, cures for cancer, blindness and paralysis and fucking baldness a hell of a lot sooner than we’ll have FTL drives or transporters. ---
**Author:** ![2ply](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/b2d939/32.png) [@2ply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2ply)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/average-star-trek-human-life-expectancy/522685/9 "2009-12-27T17:45:40Z")
"Because, when you’ve lived eight lifetimes, you develop certain instincts. And my instincts tell me that you, Miles Edward O’Brien, are going to live to be 140 and die in bed, surrounded by family and friends. " - Jadzia Dax “To the Death” ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/average-star-trek-human-life-expectancy/522685/10 "2009-12-27T17:55:19Z")
But I thought it was said that Vulcans had a longer-than-human lifespan. So Spock, as a hybrid, could expect something somewhere between the two. StG ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/average-star-trek-human-life-expectancy/522685/11 "2009-12-27T18:04:58Z")
Sarek “retired” from diplomacy at the age of 102, which was considered quite young (like one of us retiring at 50). IMS, McCoy says that most Vulcans can expect to live until 150. Of course, Sarek returns to his duties once he has his heart operation. I have no idea how long he lived afterwards. IMO, Spock being a hybrid of sorts would have lengthened his life, even by Vulcan standards. Would have, that is, as long as Amanda had no autoimmune or hereditary risk factors… ---
**Author:** ![2ply](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/b2d939/32.png) [@2ply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2ply)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/average-star-trek-human-life-expectancy/522685/12 "2009-12-27T18:08:17Z")
Sarek lived to be a little over 200 before he died in TNG. He ended up getting Vulcan Alzheimer’s and crying all the time like a great big baby. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/average-star-trek-human-life-expectancy/522685/13 "2009-12-27T18:38:05Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Don’t forget, Picard has had three artificial hearts. As long as he has no other health problems, he could live a very long time, indeed. Well, not really. His heart is the most likely failure point - which was the whole point of the episodes that introduced this fact - and why he’s had three so far. The artificial heart is more likely to shorten his life than extend it. Assuming he keeps up with maintenance/replacement of his heart, he can probably expect to get the 6 score years that most 24th century humans get, and not much more. But he’s shown himself to be a bit lax in that department - I expect Picard will probably only live to 100 or so. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/average-star-trek-human-life-expectancy/522685/14 "2009-12-27T18:42:36Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > But I thought it was said that Vulcans had a longer-than-human lifespan. So Spock, as a hybrid, could expect something somewhere between the two. > > StG **Enterprise** ’s T’Pol was in her early 60s and played by an actress in her late 20s. ---
**Author:** ![rbroome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@rbroome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rbroome)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/average-star-trek-human-life-expectancy/522685/15 "2009-12-27T23:49:49Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > **Enterprise** ’s T’Pol was in her early 60s and played by an actress in her late 20s. what episode mentioned her age? All I have is “Thats classified information Trip” ---
**Author:** ![2ply](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/b2d939/32.png) [@2ply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2ply)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/average-star-trek-human-life-expectancy/522685/16 "2009-12-28T00:04:06Z")
“Fallen Hero.” The Enterprise had to transport the Vulcan ambassador, who revealed T’Pol’s age. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/average-star-trek-human-life-expectancy/522685/17 "2009-12-28T00:09:05Z")
It doesn’t make sense that given Star Trek technology that there would be any such thing as a ‘natural life-span’. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/average-star-trek-human-life-expectancy/522685/18 "2009-12-28T00:19:00Z")
T’Pol’s age was revealed in [Zero Hour](http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Zero_Hour_%28episode%29), last episode of season 3. Fallen Hero comes before Carbon Creek (whence ‘that’s classified’) - and doesn’t actually mention her age - just that she’s older than she looks (also implied by the scene in Carbon Creek), and most likely older than any human on the ship. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/average-star-trek-human-life-expectancy/522685/19 "2009-12-28T01:54:25Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > It doesn’t make sense that given Star Trek technology that there would be any such thing as a ‘natural life-span’. I think I said that. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/average-star-trek-human-life-expectancy/522685/20 "2009-12-28T02:42:47Z")
The Making of Star Trek, a book from the 1970s suggested that Humans can live to be in excess of 120 (I don’t remember how much) but that Vulcans lived to be 250. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/average-star-trek-human-life-expectancy/522685.md?page=2)