Your probability of dying doubles every 8 years

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Submitted by

kkleiner

on Monday January 09, 2012 @05:06PM

kkleiner writes "What do you think are the odds that you will die during the next year? Try to put a number to it — 1 in 100? 1 in 10,000? Whatever it is, it will be twice as large 8 years from now. This startling fact was first noticed by the British actuary Benjamin Gompertz in 1825 and is now called the “Gompertz Law of human mortality.” Your probability of dying during a given year doubles every 8 years."
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Your probability of dying doubles every 8 years

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Oh (Score:2)

by Haedrian (1676506) writes:

I always thought we'd follow a bathtub curve.
So if the doctor.... (Score:1)

by TheInternetGuy (2006682) writes:

So if the doctor gave me 6 months to live, would that mean that 8 years from now I only have 3 months left?

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Your probability of dying doubles every 8 years

Oh (Score:2)

So if the doctor.... (Score:1)