Women tend to live longer than men across the world.
According to the UN, in 2023, women’s global life expectancy was 75.9 years, compared to just 70.5 for men. That’s quite a gap, and if you’re wondering what might be behind it, we’ve found a pretty entertaining clue.
The aptly named subreddit Why Women Live Longer has all the proof you need—photo after photo of men doing things so jaw-droppingly reckless, you’ll question how they’ve made it this far.
Scroll down to see the chaos for yourself, and please, whatever you do, don’t try this at home. Or anywhere.
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Old Advertising Campaign Encouraging Men To Get Health Screenings
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Fascinatingly, women outlive men regardless of where they live, how much they earn, or a variety of other factors. And it’s not strictly a human phenomenon either; most other mammals follow the same pattern.
“It’s a very robust phenomenon all over the world, totally conserved in sickness, during famines, during epidemics, even during times of starvation,” Dr. Dena Dubal, a professor of neurology at the University of California, San Francisco, told The New York Times.
Swing
People Make Me Wonder Sometimes
A Good Old Fashioned Brick Fight
Still, while we know women live longer than men (as these chaotic photos may strongly imply), the exact reasons behind the gap are not fully understood.
And to be clear, living longer doesn’t necessarily mean living better.
According to Bérénice Benayoun, an associate professor at the U.S.C. Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, women tend to have shorter health spans (the number of years they live in good health) compared to men.
They’re also more physically frail in old age, and after menopause, they become more vulnerable to certain conditions like cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s. That’s partly because age itself is a risk factor, as Dr. Benayoun pointed out.
He's Preparing His Trip To Mars Without Nasa's Help
Never Stick Your Head In A Hole On A Tree To "Just See What’s In It"
So.... What was in the tree hole? Do not keep us in suspense!
The Perfect T Shirt Doesn't Exis-
So, what do we know about the longevity gap between the sexes?
One major factor is genetics.
A growing body of research suggests that the female XX set of chromosomes might have something to do with lifespan, though how exactly remains a bit of a mystery.
In 2018, Dr. Dubal’s lab conducted a study on genetically engineered mice with various combinations of s*x chromosomes and reproductive organs. The mice with two X chromosomes and ovaries lived the longest, followed by those with two Xs and testes. Those with XY chromosomes had the shortest lifespans.
Now, while that study hasn’t been replicated in humans yet, the parallels in hormones, chromosomes, and reproductive systems suggest we might see similar outcomes in people.
I Have No Idea Why Women Can Live Longer Than Men
I actually know someone who lost a leg this way. He tried to clear a blockage by kicking it. 😯
Sure. Seems Like As Good Of A Place For A Pic As Any
Definitely The Brightest Idea
Hormones are also part of the puzzle, though they make things trickier.
Some studies show that the female immune system is more robust when it comes to fighting infections, and women are less likely to die from sepsis.
But that advantage fades with menopause, when estrogen levels drop and the immune system weakens. Eventually, women begin to catch up, or even surpass men, in developing certain age-related diseases.
The Way They're Cutting Bricks
They Really Wanted Some Pancakes
It’s A Dogs Leash
Then there’s lifestyle, and this is where things really start to make sense when you scroll through r/WhyWomenLiveLonger.
After childhood, men experience higher rates of death from external causes like accidents, violence, s*****e, and poisoning. In other words, the “live fast, die young” stereotype isn’t completely unfounded.
Ha, Look At That S****r In The Sun
Hmmm
Overreaction much? Also... unless he cut it off like the moment the snake bit him, the poison was already flowing through his body.
I Just Want To Leave It Here
On average, women are also less likely to smoke, drink heavily, or gamble. They’re more likely to wear seatbelts, schedule regular doctor checkups, and engage in other health-promoting behaviors that, frankly, don’t get you featured on a subreddit.
Florida Man Standing In The Streets Right Before The Eye Wall Of Hurricane Ian Hits
The Horror
The Schmidt Pain Index Was Created By A Guy Who Intentionally Subjected Himself To The Sting / Bites Of 78 Different Species Of Hymenoptera (Bees, Wasps, Ants, Etc.) In Order To Quantify The Intensity Of Pain Experienced
So, while there’s no single explanation for why women live longer, it’s likely a combination of biology, hormones, lifestyle choices, and, let’s be honest, some questionable risk-taking.
Whatever the dominant factor is, one thing’s clear: if you consistently put yourself in dangerous situations, you’re not doing your lifespan any favors.
So maybe skip the homemade rooftop zipline and the flaming hoverboard tricks. Just a thought.
Scientifically, That's Why
Is this not the place to use this clip from Fleabag- where a woman says, that women come with pain built in but men have to seek pain out?
10 For Creativity 0 For Safety
UGH and he's free cutting with a cut-off disc. NO NO NO! He's about to lose his eyes and his fingers if he hits a rock and that blade pops.
Girls vs. Boys
If I Microwave A Microwave, Does It Become A Macrowave?
Fits In Here Too
Interesting
I Think This Goes Here
That's Some Quality Bonding Right There
Today At School, I Tried To Prove That A Stapler Had Staples In It. I Was Right
Yeah Bro, Silver Teeth. Cool
Safety 100
I Mean It Says Right There
Need I Say More
Have I mentioned how much I hate street racers? I hate dipsh!ts who watched F&F and decided to try that.
After All, Why Shouldn’t I Take A Closeup Of Unexplored Missile
Hmm
Depends on the bullet. We did this when I was a kid with 0.22 shorts. Two layers of denim are sufficient. I do NOT RECOMMEND anyone do what I did when I was a teen. I did many stupid things.
I Made A Taser Alarm Clock Coz I Can’t Get Up In The Mornings
Darwin Award
Best Idea Ever.. (I Was The One On The Stairs And Still Alive)
Trying To Get The Ball
Bonus points if, when you get it, you launch both the ball and yourself through the hoop.
It's Raining Man! Hallelujah!
You really couldn't construct kind of a telescope/broom stick with some cloth attached to the end, and work from the windows on both sides?! // On the other side, a lot of architects don't include "How can we clean/repair the window/random gadget/... that looks fitting here in like, every three months?" in their way of thinking. 😡
There's Gotta Be A Safer Way To Make Money Than This, Even In Rajkot, India
Man Took Picture With A Terrorist In A Hijacked Airplane
Back in March 2016, a British man named Ben Innes was aboard EgyptAir Flight MS181 when it was hijacked by Seif Eldin Mustafa. Mustafa claimed to be wearing a sui cide vest and forced the plane to divert to Larnaca, Cyprus. After landing, most passengers were released, but Innes and a few others remained on board during a six-hour standoff. During this tense period, Innes asked a flight attendant to translate his request to take a photo with the hijacker. Mustafa agreed, and the resulting image—Innes grinning beside the hijacker—quickly went viral. Innes later explained that he took the photo partly to get a closer look at the supposed explosive device and partly to show his family that he was unafraid in the face of danger. He also mentioned wanting to humanize himself to the hijacker, hoping it might influence the situation positively. As for Mustafa, his motives were personal rather than ideological; reports suggest he wanted to see his ex-wife in Cyprus.
The Underground World Of Pallet Stacking
No Safety Harness Needed
This Is A List Of How My Boss Thinks He’d Fair In Gladiator Style Hand To Hand Combat Fight With These Animals. He Also Calls Himself An Alpha Un-Ironically
For People Who Really Hate Seatbelts
Won't Fall Down
If he opened the window on the left, he'd be able to reach without even stepping out....
Bruh
Nope . The only thing proved here is your level of intelligence. (Here's a clue: it's not high.)
Turned Away For A Few Seconds And I Turn Back Around To See This….( They Got A Piece Of A Log Wedged Stuck In The Chipper )
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