RAF average age 21 in WWII
The average age of RAF pilots defending Britain during WWII was 21, with a life expectancy of just 2 weeks when they signed up.
Snapshot · Modern Wisdom
The Hidden Cost Of Overthinking Everything - George Mack - #1111
Explore episode
Jun 15, 2026
Where this was said
What Would Life Be Like 5,000 Years Ago?
At 35:40 · chapter starts 34:21
The average age of all humans who ever lived is ~14. RAF pilots in WWII had an average age of 21 with a 2-week life expectancy. Casual relationships spiked during WWII bombings. [1] — George Mack "Run the numbers on all 100+ billion humans who ever lived, bring them back on their final day, and the average age in the room is about 14.…" 34:21
What Life Would Have Been Like 5,000 Years Ago
Run the numbers on all 100+ billion humans who ever lived, bring them back on their final day, and the average age in the room is about 14. If you're reading this over 15, you're already one of the oldest humans who has ever existed. Infant mortality was the dominant cause of death for all of human history.
Average age of all humans ever ~14
George Mack calculated that if every human who ever lived were brought back on their final day, the average age in the room would be around 14, meaning most people alive today are among the oldest humans who ever existed.
Similar snapshots
CISO role first held by Steve Katz
Joel de la Garza noted that the CISO role is a relatively recent invention, with Steve Katz widely credited as the first-ever CISO.
Electricity parallel: 6% vs 3x productivity
Superficial adoption of electricity gave factories only 6% efficiency gains; fully redesigning factories around it delivered a 3x productivity improvement that powered 20th-century US growth.
Caddyshack: cast did drugs every day on set
Harold Ramis recounted that during Caddyshack filming, storms kept the cast cooped up in a Florida hotel for days, during which they partied and did drugs all day and night.
China was 25% of global output in 1820s
In the 1820s, China accounted for 25% of global economic output, making it the world's largest economic machine — a historical precedent for its current AI superpower ambitions.
444 days hostage crisis
66 Americans held hostage at the US Embassy in Iran were released after 444 days, within hours of Reagan's inauguration.
508 TOW missiles sent to Iran
In the first round of the secret arms deal, 508 TOW missiles were transferred from Israel to Iran in exchange for hostage releases.
2,000 missiles in 8 shipments
America secretly transferred 2,000 missiles and missile parts to Iran across 8 separate shipments over just over a year.
Only 3 of 7 hostages released
Despite all the missile sales, only 3 of the 7 American hostages held by Lebanese terrorists were ultimately released.
Plane shot down at 2,500 feet in daylight
The CIA supply plane that blew open the scandal was flying at only 2,500 feet in broad daylight when it was shot down on October 5, 1986.
