Darron Cummings, AP

Meet the World's
Oldest People

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Edna Parker, who is recognized by Guinness World Records as the world's oldest known person, turns 115 on Sunday. Researchers want to know why she and other supercentenarians -- people 110 and older -- enjoy such long lives. Here, Parker holds a rose given to her Friday at an early birthday party.

Parker was born on April 20, 1893. "We don't know why she's lived so long," said her grandson Don Parker, shown visiting her at the nursing home where she lives in Shelbyville, Ind. "But she's never been a worrier and she's always been a thin person, so maybe that has something to do with it."

Parker shows the new shoes she received as a birthday gift to her granddaughter Barbara Saletnig. Parker's husband, Earl, died of a heart attack in 1938. She has also survived their two sons. Her sister Georgia lived to be 99 and another sister, Opal, died at age 88.

Parker holds the hand of her great-great-grandson Jackson Parker during her birthday party Friday. She has five grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and 13 great-great grandchildren.

Tomoji Tanabe of Japan holds the current record for world's oldest man at 112. Above, he celebrates his 111th birthday on Sept. 18, 2006.

Sarah Knauss, who died at the age of 119 in 1999, reached the oldest age of any American in history. Shown above at 115, Knauss was also once the oldest living person in the world.

Jeanne Calment, a Frenchwoman who became the oldest documented person in history, died at the age of 122 on Aug. 4, 1997