一项新的研究表明，人类的寿命可能存在限制。
American researchers found that the longest a human being can live is about 115 years.
美国研究人员发现，人类最长寿命大约是115岁。
The researchers are with the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City. Their findings were published in the journal Nature.
这些研究人员来自纽约市阿尔伯·爱因斯坦医学院。他们的研究结果发表在《自然》杂志上。
The study was based on mortality and population records from the Human Mortality Database. The database has a collection of records from more than 40 countries dating back to 1900.
这项研究基于人类死亡率数据库的死亡率和人口记录。该数据库收集了40多个国家可以追溯到1900年的记录。
Great strides in life expectancy
预期寿命大幅提高
The researchers found that the average life expectancy has risen greatly since the 19th century. This has resulted partly from developments in modern medicine, including the use of vaccines, antibiotic drugs and improved treatments for cancer and heart disease. In addition, there have been many improvements in public health and nutrition.
研究人员发现，自19世纪以来，人类的平均预期寿命已经大幅提高。这部分是因为现代医学的发展，包括疫苗和抗生素药物的使用，以及癌症和心脏病治疗的改善。此外，公共卫生和营养方面也有很大改善。
In 1900, someone born in the United States could expect to live 47 years. Today, Americans can expect to live to an average age of 80.
在1900年，美国出生人口预期寿命为47岁。如今，美国人的平均预期寿命为80岁。
According to the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, the Mediterranean nation of Monaco has the highest average life expectancy in the world -- 89.5 years. Next are Singapore and Japan -- each at 85 years.
根据美国中央情报局的数据，地中海国家摩纳哥的平均预期寿命最高，达到了89.5岁。其次是新加坡和日本，各自都达到了85岁。
The oldest documented person to ever live was Jeanne Calment of France. Calment was 122 years old when she died in 1997. An Italian woman, Emma Morano, is currently recognized as the world's oldest living person. She is 116 years old.
法国的珍妮·卡莱门（Jeanne Calment）是有明确记录的最高寿者。1997年卡莱门去世时的年龄是122岁。意大利女性艾玛·莫拉诺（Emma Morano）目前被公认为全球现存于世年龄最大的人，她现年116岁。
Highest lifespan reached in '90s
90年代寿命抵达峰值
Researchers in the new study said their findings suggest that the greatest average human lifespan was reached during the 1990s. They noted that some individuals born in the U.S., France, Japan and Britain lived to be at least 110 years old between 1968 and 2006. But the number of people living past 110 years is very small, and considered not reachable by most of the population.
这项新研究中的研究人员表示，他们的研究结果表明，上世纪90年代人类平均寿命抵达峰值。他们指出，美国、法国、日本和英国出生的一些人在1968年到2006年期间活到了至少110岁，但是活过110岁的人数很少，据认为大多数人口无法达到这个寿命。
The study found that survival rates have improved since 1900, with some older adults living to age 100 and above. But then many of those individuals died a short time later, regardless of when they were born.
该研究发现，1900年以来生存率有所提高，一些老年人活到了100岁乃至更高年龄。但是随后其中大多数人在短时间内死亡，不管他们出生在什么时候。
The head of the study, Jan Vijg, is head of the genetics department at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He said the findings show a decrease in the ability to reduce death rates among older adults. He said this suggests a possible limit to human lifespan.
这项研究的负责人扬·维吉（Jan Vijg）也是爱因斯坦医学院遗传学系的系主任。他说，研究结果表明降低老年人死亡率的能力有所下降。他说，这表明人类寿命可能存在限制。
Brandon Milholland was a lead scientist on the study. As he noted, "It is possible that someone might live slightly longer, but the odds of anybody in the world surviving to 125 in any given year is less than one in 10,000."
布兰登·米尔兰德（Brandon Milholland）是这项研究的一位领军科学家。正如他所指出的，“可能有人寿命略高，但是一万年中任何一年有人活到125岁的几率不会超过一位。”
Jan Vijg noted that continued medical developments to improve the quality of life - especially in the developed world - could push average life expectancy beyond 80. But he said researchers still do not expect the average human lifespan to ever break 100.
维吉指出，医学不断发展会改善生命质量，特别是在发达国家，这可以推动平均寿命超过80岁。但是他表示，研究人员仍然无法期望人类平均寿命一朝突破100岁。
I'm Bryan Lynn.
我是布莱恩·林恩。(51VOA.COM对本文翻译保留全部权利，未经授权请勿转载，违者必究！)