http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0005148.html%29

Wow, little has changed from the 50s. I thought with the advancements in science, we should be in the 80-90s range.

Heart disease is leading cause iirc.

I couldn't give you actual #'s tho

Why do they just single out the whities and blackies?

And what would be then a Mariah Carey?

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The reason we are not in the 80s and 90s (remember, very few countries are in the 80s and none close to the 90s) is because life expectancy takes into account deaths from cancer, heart disease, etc., and rates of deaths from certain medical conditions have risen since then, while others have fallen (most have fallen, which is why the expectancy has increased overall).