Strange Puzzle Leaves the Internet Stumped: How Could Someone Be Born and Die in the Same Year—Yet Live 22 Years?

Strange Puzzle Leaves the Internet Stumped: How Could Someone Be Born and Die in the Same Year—Yet Live 22 Years?

The internet loves a good mystery.

From optical illusions that split opinion down the middle to riddles that spark heated comment threads, there’s something irresistible about a puzzle that seems impossible at first glance. Recently, one brain teaser has resurfaced and once again left thousands scratching their heads:

How could someone be born and die in the same year—yet live for 22 years?

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At first, it sounds absurd. Impossible, even. After all, if someone is born in 2000 and dies in 2000, they could not possibly have lived 22 years. The math simply doesn’t work. A single calendar year contains only 12 months. There is no hidden thirteenth month where 22 years can quietly unfold.

And yet, the answer is surprisingly simple—once you shift your perspective.

This puzzle is not about biology. It’s not about time travel. It’s not about medical miracles or science fiction paradoxes.

It’s about how we think.