How different life now is than what it was 30 years ago! 

为了分析结构，我们把感叹句变成陈述句：

Life now is different than what it was 30 years ago.

然后分析：

Life now （主语）is （系动词）different （表语）than what it was 30 years ago. （介词短语）

1. now 是life 的定语。

2. than 在本句是介词，different than 是“美国英语”，than 等于from。

3. what it was 30 years ago 是名词性从句，作than 的宾语。