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Comment by opportune | Hacker News Reader

Note that the introduction of birth certificates in the US only reduced supercentarians, it didn’t eliminate them.

I would be willing to accept that most are frauds, but I do think it is possible for someone to live to be a supercentarian. I have met a couple people who are around 100 who seemed healthy and had it all together mentally. I’m sure some decent percent of people in that position have the ability to live for another 10 years

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Of course, but that isn't what this study is about or why it (and other's like it) are important.

Researchers have spent tons of time trying to discover why certain areas are ripe with supercentenarians - what is it about their diet or environment or genetics or social structure. As a random person in the US, I have particularly heard about Okinawa in this regard.

This study is strongly implying that the only thing special about those areas is their ability and desire to commit fraud.

My great-grandmother died a month before her 100th birthday. Born in California with valid records and survived her husband by decades. She was pretty active and alert considering her age well into her 90s. We would walk together on the grounds of her retirement home (she needed a walker) until the last year or so.

Absolutely. My grandmother lived to 104. She had my mother when she was 45 and was still doing push-ups to stay in shape in her 80s. At her 100th birthday party, she blew out 100 candles in one breath. It's not hard to believe that at least a few people out of a billion could go well past that.

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