• Question: Is it possible to predict when some one will die?

    Asked by labb712 to Stephen on 24 Jun 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Stephen Curry

      Stephen Curry answered on 24 Jun 2010:

      Hi Labb712

      Yes, especially if you are holding a gun to their head.

      However, I am assuming your question is a bit more *subtle* than that! It is not really possible in most circumstances. The best that we can do is predict expected or average life-span for populations. healthy people in the UK can expect to live to their mid-70s but for an individual we cannot be precise.

      Someone diagnosed with a particular disease is likely to die sooner and the doctor may be able to estimate the expected lifespan, based on measuring what happened to people who had the disease before and then died. But again, not possible to predict for an individual.

      Even if this were possible to do, I’m not sure I would want to know!

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