Zombies, Klendathu and The Absurdly Violent Intergalactic Space Fungus.

[Psychosplodge]

Don't they say meat in your diet contributes to height? How much arable farmland is there north of the border? Maybe compared to romans there was more meat in their diet so they were generally taller?

[grimmas]

Your Genetics limit your maximum height (not withstanding medical issues) but you'll need the correct diet to get there so the discussion will be have humans always possessed the potential to be taller on average but lacked the nutrition to get there or if through evolution we're getting taller.

Part of it would be isolating if some conditions have existed that make being taller an preferential adaptation. We have seen a very large increase in average height over the last couple of generations that should have been fairly dramatic and witnessed. We are aware of the events that caused the most deaths and they don't seem to relate to height.

Of course being tall isn't all good either as being over 6-6 seems to come with a raft of health difficulties in later life over being of more average height. Of course most of these occur after average breeding age so wouldn't necessarily effect evolutionary change.

[Psychosplodge]

Being 6'3" comes with an added risk of head impact

[grimmas]

And uncomfortable journeys on public transport I suspect. 😉

[Psychosplodge]

I physically don't fit in the space allocated to a single passenger on the average bus/train/plane. The length of knee to butt is longer than the seat to seat space and the amount of leg spread required to fit either encroaches on the aisle or the person next to me.
One of many reasons I prefer to drive.

[Mr Mystery]

It depends.

Coach to work? Very spacious, to the point someone in front can put their seat back, and still not have my knees jammed in their spine.

London Underground? I might as well be a sardine. Especially as the centre of the train, where the ceiling is highest, is inevitably occupied by the shortest people on the train.

Your Genetics limit your maximum height (not withstanding medical issues) but you'll need the correct diet to get there so the discussion will be have humans always possessed the potential to be taller on average but lacked the nutrition to get there or if through evolution we're getting taller.

Part of it would be isolating if some conditions have existed that make being taller an preferential adaptation. We have seen a very large increase in average height over the last couple of generations that should have been fairly dramatic and witnessed. We are aware of the events that caused the most deaths and they don't seem to relate to height.

Of course being tall isn't all good either as being over 6-6 seems to come with a raft of health difficulties in later life over being of more average height. Of course most of these occur after average breeding age so wouldn't necessarily effect evolutionary change.

That all sounds about right. And diet definitely plays a substantial part, including the diet of your mumsie whilst you gestating.

The 6'6" is often caused less by a good, healthy diet, and more glandular issues (I want to say pituitary gland?), so you effectively overgrow your 'natural limit'.

I too am 6'3", and pretty well built. It's not common to see someone taller than me that isn't incredibly skinny, despite they eat like horses. Compare The World's Tallest Man to say, The Mountain from Game of Thrones. The former, glandular issue. The latter? Just plain old sodding enormous.

[Psychosplodge]

I've never thought about that before but you're right for the most part anybody more than an inch or two taller is generally willowy.

[Mr Mystery]

Though of course, that's all speculation on my behalf. I'm no geneticist.

It could well be that the Willowy Gene is closely linked to the Big Sod Gene. I just don't know!

[CoffeeGrunt]

I thought it was typically from heart defects, much like larger dogs. They don't tend to live as long because they basically more have more body to pump blood through, so the heart is working a bit harder, so it typically starts giving out a little bit earlier.

[Mr Mystery]

Did someone say larger dogs?



Half Newfoundland, half St Bernard. All special. And enormous.