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Alive Quote by S. Jay Olshansky

“There is a possibility that there is somebody out there alive today over 122, but we'll probably never know it, because in all likelihood they come from either China or India, and they don't have reliable birth records.” quote by S. Jay Olshansky
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“There is a possibility that there is somebody out there alive today over 122, but we'll probably never know it, because in all likelihood they come from either China or India, and they don't have reliable birth records.”

S. Jay Olshansky

About This Quote

Source Interview: Slate article, 2010

The quote suggests that extremely old individuals may exist but are unrecorded due to poor birth documentation in some regions.

In simple terms: Very old people might be alive but unknown because of missing records.

Key Takeaway

Consider how data gaps hide rare phenomena.

Themes

longevity recordkeeping uncertainty

Mood

skeptical curious

Type

analytical informative

When to use this quote

  • genealogy research
  • public health surveys
  • age verification processes

Key Concepts

demography statistical inference historical documentation

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do we verify extreme ages?
  • What are the implications of unknown longevity?
A Different Perspective

Reliability of age claims is often contested and can be misused.

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