How long can Superman live?

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X-43D
IIRC, in one chapter of "Lois and Clark", he said to Lois "no one knows how much he has", which means that not even Superman lives forever.

Biochemical changes (as free radicals) in cells over time may play an important role in senescence, but the essence of those changes remains to be determined. Aging is just an accumulation of complex side effects piled on top of each other in a somewhat random uncontrolled way.

The cellular structure of a Kryptonian is similar to that of all humanoids. However, a certain chemical makeup in the ribosomes is capable of absorbing solar energy and storing it. Once the ribosomes achieve saturation levels of this radiation, they begin to re-radiate the energy in the form of a bioelectric forcefield.

Because Kryopton's gravitational field is 50-100 stronger than Earth's, the kryptonian cells are much stronger and denser than a human's. In addition, the bioelectric field which surrounds the cells, makes them thousands of times tougher. The Kryptonian mitochondria absorb certain wavelengths of the electromagnetic radiation emitted by solar fusion. Even under a red sun, this yields increased abilities, which are multiplied a thousand-fold by a yellow sun. The solar energy supplements respiration, such that when cellular materials (perhaps Kryptonian ATP) combine with glucose, they produce abilities beyond those of humans under a yellow sun.

Due to the highly charged nature of his solar storage systems, his immune system deals with most normal poisons and diseases quickly and with no ill effect. Radiation and similar harmful energies are similarly neutralized.

The result is thousands of times longer a life-span for Superman.

David Duchovony
The easy answer, pretty damn long.

David Duchovony
If you want some interesting theories, have a look here: http://forums.comicbookresources.com/printthread.php?t=29322

X-43D
Let me think about this...

Krypton is 50 light years away from earth. If Clark's starship traveled, let's say, 1/10,000 the speed of light (that's still 2.6 faster than any rocket-propelled spacecraft today), then there was no time dilation (process slowdown) effect. This implies that Clark ages at least 120,000 times slower than any human.

Btw Wolverine (from X-Men) is also believed to be of an advanced age (about 150 yrs old) and still looks like he's in his mid 30s. Superman's aging process should be much slower, if there's any.

Jimmy Buggs
87

Napalm
I thought he was inmortal

radioboy121
In Crisis of Infinite Earths, our Superman was confronted with another Superman who apparently was much aged and who proclaimed a great marriage with Lois. There was no indication of outliving her and having birthday parties with his great great grandchildren. Of course, his aging factor can pretty much be speculative, but I don't think it's far too different than our own (exempting times in other dimensions and what not).

David Duchovony
That was a totally different Superman. Considering he's probably millions of times stronger, faster, and durable than the average person, he sould also age much, MUCH, much, slower--if at all. And since his powers are solar derived, he should be able to exist as long as there are yellow stars in existence.

X-43D
Kryptonian cells could be immortal under a yellow sun. In fact some rudimentary organisms are biologically immortal. Germ cells, embryonic stem cells and cancer cells are also immortal.

Mainstream
under the right conditions superman would live a long long time and age very slowly...but him being immortal...not likely..."long living" would be a better choice of words.

X-43D
Hey even living 10,000 years is way enough.

Mainstream
yeah....I'd probably die of boredom

TheFilmProphet
laughing out loud

Originally posted by Mainstream
under the right conditions superman would live a long long time and age very slowly...but him being immortal...not likely..."long living" would be a better choice of words.

I agree,

eleveninches
He's still alive in the 835th centuary

X-43D
Pre-Crisis Superman surely was immortal. I don't know about the new Superman though.

Darth Odious
I think superman would have abused his powers if he were real. I don't believe that a person with that much power ever had any sense to hold back. Even your local manager at wallmart can be a tyrant after one day of being hired. I can see him getting worse with age, and bored too. Why protect a planet that can't get along with each other no matter how many time you save their ass, when you can rule them with an iron fist, take their women, and make them all your lois lanes. Why not find other planets with an even bigger yellow sun, maybe a planet full of being who are a little more forgiving when you fail to save ten cities in one day. What's with all the unecessary pressure buddy? Your a living god! Settle some scores! Crack some skulls! Get laid brother!

Darth Odious
COMING SOON: FECAL FORCE FIVE! THEY'RE THE SH**!!!!! Happy Dance

MayhemSymbiote
well in Kingdom Come superman was old and had grey hair on his sides.

The current Superman in the comics ages just as a normal human does.
Heck didnt he age all through his school days didnt he.

Comic Superman ages.

Smallville's Clark ages, but has no end (occording to that seer woman).

Miss_Faye
he'll live...FOR.......EV....ER!!!

Mainstream
um okay Faye...or he'll live until he dies..which ever comes first.

Mr Parker
Originally posted by Napalm
I thought he was inmortal

yeah thats what I thought as well? confused

Mainstream
nah Superman can't be immortal...cuz he's not mortal...nor a man...he will live on until he gets killed, get sick, or the sun burns out which ever comes first.

X-43D
I think it depends on the structure of the kryptonian cell, how it functions and how much solar energy it can store. Logically, a man who is genetically immune to everything on earth (except to kryptonite radiation) should not age. Senescence, at least as we know it, should not exist for Superman.

BTW aging is not universal. A number of complex species such as lobsters, rockfishes, some tortoises, etc. do not appear to age. Therefore, aging is not a prerequisite to life. Aging is neither inevitable nor universal.

Mainstream
X-43D I must concer with your rather indept statements.

Cosmic Cube
I doubt Superman ages quickly, and the sun is a very reliable source of energy. Superman will live until someone kills him, or until he runs out of solar energy.

TheFanboy
I think of him as Yoda for some reason, in the 900s. Or imortal.

X-43D
I like to think of Superman as a nuclear reactor. It is well known that Superman can enter a nuclear reactor and exit unharmed. Basically he could always draw energy from the sun and other sources, until the universe runs out of energy (if ever). If that's the case, then his life-span is infinite.

The Last Son
In the Batman/Superman Comics, an older version of Superman goes back in time and fights the younger Superman. The older Superman was stronger due to the fact he had been under a yellow sun for more years yet he looked older. Does this mean superman will be stronger when he's an old man in a nursing home? I don't quite understand the correlation.

Mainstream
maybe..him and Lois also had a kid.

Arch Stanton
I don't get it. If his cells are indestructable, how in the hell does he ever shave or get a haircut?

StrawNilla
As far as I concerned Supes can live as long as DC wants him around.

eleveninches
Hair is dead cells, so they would not be indestructable.

The question should be 'How does he have hair?' seeing as though his cells should be immortal

wuTa
hair is not a dead cell....there is a follicle in the hair that doesnt die, ever

colossus17
3975.3 years.......

Mainstream
he'll live until I *picks up his kytonite ray cannon* decides to destroy him....fighting18

markie
Originally posted by Ming Tea!
The easy answer, pretty damn long. He's dead.

olympian
Until he dies.

cheap cabbage
Superman prime is immortal, and since that's what DC is pretty much promoting as his future, we can take that as his more or less canon. It was not an else worlds tale. It was an actual future (possible future) for the JLA.

roughrider
Looks like virtual immortality, these days. Aging at an incredibly slow rate, once he hit adulthood. After the first thousand years, maybe he starts hanging more with Gods from Olympius and Asgard, because all his human friends will be dead.

Fanboy
Well I read someone saying if someone kills him that is not exactly true if he stays under a yellow sun and his body keeps taking in sunlight he will come back to life so he is virtually unkillable.

FistOfThe North
Superman will live forever practically. As long as the Sun continues to shine, Superman lives!

In the case that our Sun's energy runs out and turns into a gigantic Red Dwarf then a small White Dwarf, because are Sun is a Star after all, then I think Superman will be smart enough to escape with his near everlasting energy reserves and fly to another Star/Solar System that can provide him with perpetual energy. And he'll do this for all eternity and live on forever.

Superman Forever

jrodslam
Yup. Superman is immortal.

When Flash raced death to the end of time, 2,850,000,000 years later, Superman is still alive. Even after our sun dies and ared sun is left.

http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/8026/flash141p140ro9ey.th.jpg

NoFate007
I guess Superman will live as long as there is a yellow sun, and like a charged up battery, several years afterwards considering he's lived so long under one. Say he lives under a yellow sun for a thousand years, and the next year, we only have a red sun...well he's conserved enough energy to last maybe an extra 100 years, slowly getting weaker and weaker - then eventually someone just caps him off.

redcaped
In the heart of fans for centuries to come. stick out tongue

NPC
He's immortal. In a Smallville episode there is a guy that has the ability to see anybody's death. Everytime he touches someone he sees when they die. But when he touches Clark, he is surprised an says " it's like you have no end!"
Also in the movies, the 1st or 2nd superman movie when Jorel is talking to Kal-el from the crystal thing an teaching him about stuff, and I quote " we will discuss the probabilities an theories on immortallity." Or something to that effect.
Its kinda funny I collected superman comics in the early 80's-90's saw all the movies, cartoons, ect. an thought I knew everything there was to know about superman. But I didnt realize he was immortal till the Smallville show, I also didnt know he had super regeneration.

Xirius
Hes only "immortal", for as long as the sun exists. once that gone, he becomes mortal.

The Ion
Originally posted by The Last Son
In the Batman/Superman Comics, an older version of Superman goes back in time and fights the younger Superman. The older Superman was stronger due to the fact he had been under a yellow sun for more years yet he looked older. Does this mean superman will be stronger when he's an old man in a nursing home? I don't quite understand the correlation.
It's just an appearance thing. They've shown Superman alive near the end of time and he basically ends up looking like The Wizard Shazam in a Superman costume.

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