A horizon, not a forecast

Life expectancy, drawn to scale

The average human life is about 4,000 weeks. Numbers slide off; a picture doesn't. Set your horizon, enter your birth date, and look.

Why we show weeks,
not years.

"Eighty years" sounds infinite. "Four thousand weeks" does not — you have watched a thousand of them go by already. That shift, from abstract years to countable weeks, is the entire reason this site and the Mac wallpaper app exist.

Related: how many weeks in a year · the 4,000-weeks idea

A path of circles toward the horizon, minimal black line art

Questions

How accurate is a life expectancy number?

It is an average, not a prediction. Global life expectancy is about 73 years; in most developed countries it is 80–84. Your personal number depends on genetics, lifestyle and luck — this page uses the visual convention of 80 years (adjustable 70–100) not as a forecast, but as a horizon that makes time visible.

How many weeks does the average person live?

Roughly 4,000–4,200 weeks. At the global average of 73 years it is about 3,800 weeks; at 80 years, about 4,175. Very few people ever see the number drawn out — which is exactly why we draw it.

Is this a medical or financial tool?

No. It is a reflection tool. For insurance, pensions or medical questions, consult the actuarial tables of your country's statistics office — this page exists to make the time you do have feel real enough to spend well.