Posted 19 October 2009 - 01:34 PM
You could also try and establish a protocol that uses a comparative model with respect to physical longevity that examines both physical and cultural anthropological parameters and demonstrates what characteristics lengthen life span and which shorten it on a large scale basis.
Everyone can see the obvious about individuals but what is more important are larger more subtle aspects like diet and changes of diet over time, socio-technical sophistication, regional occupation and migration patterns, intercultural contact, disease, climate, etc.
There are very few analyses that qualitatively outline the parameters directly impacting long term term life expectancy patterns for cultures that show trends over generations with respect to identifiable specific criteria. This kind of study would not be easy but the better the model to work with the more likely the protocol itself would evolve as others contribute data to it.
The results from such a protocol once established would contribute to understanding which diets helped accelerate intelligence, or which environments promoted the longest lifespans. Which sociocultural adaptations led to lengthening lifespans and which diminished them etc. The kind of data might offer criteria for creating modern test procedures that yield tools for extending life expectancy now or diminishing factors that shorten it aside from the obvious about risk, disease, warfare etc.
I hope that helps. I'm just throwing out another vague idea but you are the one that must coalesce a specific direction to take any idea. However feel free to come back and discuss your thoughts.