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Will humans keep getting taller?

bbc.com

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Re: Will humans keep getting taller?

#21

Post by pklausler »

No.

A human being 4.12E+12 meters tall, standing on the equator, would have their head moving at the speed of light due to the rotation of the earth. At that point, their experience of time would essentially stop, and reproduction would cease. Also, cosmic rays and lack of O2 would begin to distract the subject from reproduction with cumulative effects from suffocation and radiation burns long before evolution could raise humans to the aforementioned 4 billion km height.

There are other considerations (viz. angular momentum, occasionally passing the human through the Sun at roughly knee height, lunar collisions, &c.) So, anyway, no, we can't keep getting taller.

Re: Will humans keep getting taller?

#22

Post by foobarian »

pklausler wrote: post #21

No. A human being 4.12E+12 meters tall, standing on the equator, would have their head moving at the speed of light due to the rotation of the earth. At that point, their experience of time would essentially stop, and reproduction would cease. Also, cosmic rays and lack of O2 would begin to distract the subject from reproduction with cumulative effects from suffocation and radiation burns long before evolution could…

You assume they would be standing up.

Re: Will humans keep getting taller?

#23

Post by douche »

vacri wrote: post #20
FilterSweep wrote: post #2

As an extremely "average" height guy, height has been one "human variable" that has always confused me - anecdote after anecdote after anecdote from both proclamations from women, professional sports, and more importantly, our(Western) culture in general have made height seem to be the most important physical trait in a male; yet this article, along with actual research have time and time again either demonstrated th…

As a 200cm/6'6" man, I think the optimum height is 6'4" - you get all the benefits of being tall (social prestige, being able to breathe in crowds) and fewer of the disadvantages (clothes still fit, beds still fit, buses and planes still fit, don't hit your head on doorframes or light fittings anywhere near as much). If only I could go back in time and tell young vacri to stop growing at 6'4" :)

At 6'2", I wish I had either gone up to my projected 6'8" (I think based on the double at two metric) or stayed down at a mere 5-10"or 6'. Everything is too small for me... Long airline flights are excuciating, and even the height of common kitchen fixtures is really too low

Re: Will humans keep getting taller?

#24

Post by pklausler »

foobarian wrote: post #22
pklausler wrote: post #21

No. A human being 4.12E+12 meters tall, standing on the equator, would have their head moving at the speed of light due to the rotation of the earth. At that point, their experience of time would essentially stop, and reproduction would cease. Also, cosmic rays and lack of O2 would begin to distract the subject from reproduction with cumulative effects from suffocation and radiation burns long before evolution could…

You assume they would be standing up.

Damn you.

Re: Will humans keep getting taller?

#26

Post by pklausler »

amorphid wrote: post #25
pklausler wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Damn you.

Technically if they weren't standing up, wouldn't that be getting longer?

Another problem: ultra-tall humans competing for space at the poles. I think that the height limit (due to c) works out to be 4.12E+12m / cos(latitude).

Re: Will humans keep getting taller?

#27

Post by Aelinsaar »

s_q_b wrote: post #6
Aelinsaar wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Being tall is highly advantageous in the right circumstances, terrible in the wrong ones. It just varies based on environment, resources, etc. Athletes know this too, but it does so happen that the sports which make the most money right now thrive on big, tall men. Basketball and American football thrive on giant guys, but it's not the only model. The best rock climber isn't going to be an NBA forward, it's going to…

One of those circumstances is in combat. Historically that has been extremely important. It wouldn't surprise me that under more violent circumstances, mate preferences shift toward those of greater size, strength, and overall physical ability.

Sure, unless you need to be in a tunnel system, or survive on a small island with minimal resources. It doesn't help to be a giant viking if you can't eat like one.

Re: Will humans keep getting taller?

#28

Post by Aelinsaar »

ekianjo wrote: post #8
loeg wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Cramped airlines seats aren't great for tall people either.

Japanese housing is terrible for tall people too.

Honestly, not a lot in Japan is ideal for tall people, including the reactions of the average person when you're walking around...

Re: Will humans keep getting taller?

#29

Post by update »

FilterSweep wrote: post #2

As an extremely "average" height guy, height has been one "human variable" that has always confused me - anecdote after anecdote after anecdote from both proclamations from women, professional sports, and more importantly, our(Western) culture in general have made height seem to be the most important physical trait in a male; yet this article, along with actual research have time and time again either demonstrated th…

> As an extremely "average" height guy,

Out of curiosity, what do you consider an extremely "average" height?

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