Scientists reveal the maximum age people can live to

As science develops, surely the life expectancy of humans can go up?

Well, the trend can't go on forever.

Scientists believe they have discovered the maximum "ceiling" for human lifespans.

New research conducted in The Netherlands has found the maximum ceiling life span for females is 115.7 years of age.

For men, it's slightly lower at age 114.1 years, according to research from statisticians at Tilburg and Rotterdam's Erasmus universities.

"On average, people live longer, but the very oldest among us have not gotten older over the last 30 years," Professor John Einmahl told the Agence France-Presse.

"There is certainly some kind of a wall here.

"Of course the average life expectancy has increased. Nevertheless, the maximum ceiling hasn't changed."

They determined that a person's maximum lifespan plateaus in their nineties and was unlikely to ever increase beyond 115.

The oldest-ever living person was French woman Jeanne Louise Calment, who was born in 1875 and died in 1997 at age 122 years and 164 days.

However, Einmahl said there are rare outliers when occasionally a few people do surpass that lifespan wall.

A similar American study last year also concluded 115 years as the average maximum human lifespan.

Einmahl is aiming to have his study published in the next month or so, which may reveal the key to a longer life.

This article was first published on NZ Herald and is republished here with permission.