Origins

• Biblical figures, such as Methuselah, were said to be hundreds of years old, and historical figures, such as Thomas Carn in the 16th century, claimed to have lived for 150 years or more. In such cases, there was no means of proving such age.
  
  

William John Thoms

• British author William John Thoms--one of the pioneers of folklore studies--provided the first skeptical look at longevity claims in his 1879 book, "The Longevity of Man."
  
  

Wire Services

• Wire services often made outrageous claims about people dying at extremely advanced ages during the first half of the 20th century. It made good copy and if the person was from a suitably distant locale, debunking it was impossible.
  
  

Guinness

• The Guinness Book of World Records remains the go-to source for debunking longevity myths and until recently didn't acknowledge anyone dying later than the age of 114.
  
  

Oldest Humans

• Two people currently hold the record for oldest human beings. Jeanne Calment and Shigechiyo Izumi both died at the age of 120.