South Korean women are projected to become the first population in recorded human history to cross an average life expectancy of 90 years by 2030 — a threshold that researchers at the turn of this century considered impossible for any group of people to rea - Space Daily

South Korean women are projected to become the first national population in recorded history to pass an average life expectancy at birth of 90 years by 2030, according to a 2017 study published in The Lancet. The forecast points to a milestone that has long been viewed as one of the most significant benchmarks in human longevity.

What makes the finding especially notable is that researchers earlier in this century had considered such a threshold effectively out of reach for any population within the near future. The newer projection suggests that ideas about the upper limits of average lifespan may have been too cautious.

If the estimate is borne out, South Korea would mark a historic first in global life expectancy trends, with women leading that shift. The study highlights how quickly long-term expectations around lifespan can change when national health and demographic patterns continue to improve.

The projection refers to average life expectancy at birth for the population as a whole, not to every individual living beyond 90. Even so, the possibility of crossing that line represents a major change in how scientists and the public think about what is achievable in human lifespan.