Unveiling the Mystery of Aging in the Past

The perception that people in the past looked older may be influenced by changes in rates of aging over time, improvements in healthcare, lifestyle factors, and biases associated with old fashions. A study found that biological aging has decreased in recent generations compared to previous ones, with improvements more noticeable in males and older adults. Factors such as smoking, medication use, early-life conditions, and reductions in infectious diseases contribute to these changes. However, biases in how we view older fashions and selection bias also play a role in perceiving people from the past as looking older.