Everywhere in the world women live longer than men - but this was not always the case. The available data from rich countries shows that women didn't live longer than men in the 19th century. Why do women live longer than men and why does this benefit increase in the past? There isn't much evidence and we're left with only partial answers. Although we know that there are biological, psychological, and environmental factors which play a significant role in the longevity of women over males, it isn't clear how much each one contributes.

Everywhere in the world women live longer than men - but this was not always the case. The available data from rich countries shows that women didn't live longer than men in the 19th century. What's the main reason women have a longer life span than men? Why does this benefit increase over time? The evidence is limited and we're left with only some solutions. We are aware that behavioral, biological and environmental factors contribute to the fact that women have longer life spans than men, however, we aren't sure how significant the impact of each of these factors is.