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The Oldest Living Humans Are Now All Women. Here They Are.
Bet you've never heard the word "supercentenarian" before. It's an impressive title, but you'll need some time to earn it: a "supercentenarian" is someone who's lived longer than 110 years. (The world record is 122 years. That's a hell of a long retirement.) On Wednesday, the world's oldest living supercentenarian (super-human, more like) passed away. Japan's Jiroemon Kimura, born in 1897—as in, when Queen Victoria ruled over the British Empire–was 116 years old. Kimura took up farming as a hobby at 90, and credited his longevity to eating small portions of food. Now that he's passed, the world's 30 oldest people are all women - but who are they, and how on earth did they get this far? Click on to find out. (Photo: Kyotango City Government/Getty Images)
World's Oldest Person Dies At 116
Bet you've never heard the word "supercentenarian" before. It's an impressive title, but you'll need some time to earn it: a "supercentenarian" is someone who's lived longer than 110 years. (The world record is 122 years. That's a hell of a long retirement.) On Wednesday, the world's oldest living supercentenarian (super-human, more like) passed away. Japan's Jiroemon Kimura, born in 1897—as in, when Queen Victoria ruled over the British Empire–was 116 years old. Kimura took up farming as a hobby at 90, and credited his longevity to eating small portions of food. Now that he's passed, the world's 30 oldest people are all women - but who are they, and how on earth did they get this far? Click on to find out. (Photo: Kyotango City Government/Getty Images)
Misao Okawa: 115 Years and Counting
At the grand old age of 115, Misao Okawa has just become the newest-oldest living person. On Feb 27, Okawa was crowned the world's oldest female: she accepted her Guinness World Record, and enjoyed her favorite meal (mackerel sushi, if you wondered) before promptly nodding off in her wheelchair. Okawa says she is "very happy," and that her secret to long life was to "watch out for one's heath." Okawa is also from Japan - which, according to the government, has no less than 51,000 centenarians. So apparently sushi is the real takeaway here. Her 90-year-old son, Hiroshi, is cautious, and has told reporters "I doubt I'll live that long..."
Jeralean Talley, 114: Oldest American, Thanks To Pigs
Jeralean Talley is our kind of woman. The oldest person in America keeps busy by watching The Ellen DeGeneres Show, eating McDonald's chicken nuggets, and reeling in catfish. (That's not a euphemism–here she is, with a catfish.) She lives in Michigan with many, many children and grandchildren, and credits her long life to eating a lot of pork. Talley says her motto is "do unto others as you desire them to do unto you." Talley's a devout Christian, and has a reserved spot in her local church every Sunday. But seriously, don't forget about the pork. (Photo: Michael Kinloch)
Bernice Madigan, 113, Loves A Good Donut
Rankings two through to six of the "Oldest Living People" chart (yes, it exists) are all American women. Number four is Bernice Madigan, whose breakfast each morning consists of a bowl of Wheaties and four miniature glazed donuts. "Cars and planes were the most important inventions in the time of the horse-and-buggy days," Madigan confirmed when asked about her favorite innovation of the last century. Her favorite decade, she added, was the 1920s. Maintaining a positive attitude, Madigan says, was the single most important lesson of her life. "Don't take anything for granted," she advises. (Photo: iBerkshires.com)
Emma Morano-Martinuzzi, 113, Eats Her Eggs
Emma Morano-Martinuzzi is the oldest person in Europe, but isn't having any of this in-home care business. The 113-year-old Italian lives alone, manages her own household, and drinks a glass of homemade brandy every day. She's appeared on several Italian talk shows, proving once and for all, she says, that she's completely lucid. Morano-Martinuzzi says she makes sure to eat three eggs a day and to indulge in the odd chocolate, though she refrains from drug use. For her sheer tenacity, Morano-Martinuzzi has also been awarded the Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic by Italy's president.
Merle Barwis, 112, Drinks Beer. Enough Said.
Here's a shot of Merle Barwis, the oldest living Canadian, celebrating her 112th birthday with a cold one. She's a badass. "If you're old, you're old," she says of her age, decisively. "If you're young, you're young. What can you do about it?" And winning the award for Wisest Thing A 112-year-old Woman Has Ever Said, Barwis added: "You might as well go along with it." (Photo: Lyle Stafford)
