Fountain of Youth

While in the U S Navy I was taught some 59 years ago about radioactive decay.  In simple terms, which is all I know, radioactivity will decay in half-lives.  In some certain period of time half of the radioactivity will dissipate.  In that same length of additional time, a further half of the remainder will disappear.  This will continue forever.  It can be deduced that the radiation will never entirely disappear.

Keeping that in mind, I have noticed that actuarial tables work in a similar fashion.  I am approaching 76 years old.  Assuming I live until my 76^th birthday then according to the Social Security actuarial table I would, as a male, expect a further 10.28 years of life.  This obviously means I should see my 86^th birthday.  Further perusal of the very same table shows that if I reach my 86^th birthday, I should expect another 5.4 years of life meaning I should pass my 91^st birthday.  When I reach that milestone the very same actuarial table shows I can expect yet another 3.7 years, or until past my 94^th birthday.  Continuing on this line I should reach 97 years of age, and receive another 2.49 years, or until past 99 years.  Believe it or not this just keeps keeping on.  At 119 years of age I yet have a further .61 years promised.

The final conclusion, like the radiation decay rate, is that I’m never going to die.  Social Security has discovered the elusive Fountain of Youth searched for by Juan Ponce de Leon in 1513 in what is now Florida.