Human heights over time

[Clockwork]

People have grown a lot taller since ye olde days of pirates, I'm by no means any sort of voice on this but from what I've read/heard, people are genetically developing to grow taller and live longer. By 2400 it's predicted that the predeterminded lifespan will be roughly 130 years I think, no links as this is from memory.

Split from a discussion over whether 5'6" Edward Teach was a "giant" for his time or not, in the badass figures thread - JB

[Scarlet]

I think realistically, it's due to improvements in medicine, hygiene and nutrition.. I doubt that it is genetic.. That would require a lot of people's DNA to be mutating in the same way over many genenrations..? Not that I know, of course, it just seems unlikely.. Where did you read this? I want to read ze research, sounds interesting..

[Phoenixguard09]

Interestingly enough, the scientific community tends to agree that humanity is "evolving" (if you wish to use the word) at a slower rate now than ever before.

That was in a school biology textbook, so make of it what you will.

[Clockwork]

I can't find it at the moment, though I believe it was something to do with a trend in reducing metabolic rates and studies done across groups of families that are almost exclusively long lived, there was a genetic factor but the result was inconclusive due to the wide variety of lifestyle choices that can impact health and damage genes. However there is a gene (or something, like I said i have little idea what any of this means) that shortens as your life goes on until you die which gives an estimation of your natural lifespan. I'll try to find that tomorrow, tired now.

I'll probably also move this to a science thread, but again, tomorrow.

EDIT:  http://www.pnas.org/content/98/18/10505.short Not exactly what I was looking for but you may be able to find more from this link. The date is 2001, further research has been done since then.

[Jubal]

Height is mostly correlated with nutrition IIRC. Apparently for an English male in the early C18th average height would have been c. 5ft4/5, so 5ft6 might have been above average but certainly wouldn't have been giant. Also, the early C18 was a low point for height; better nutrition and a more varied diet in the middle ages meant that a medieval man would likely have averaged 5ft8.

There is a small amount of selective pressure in favour of tall males I suspect simply because the majority of women prefer taller mates, but it's not going to wipe out short people in a hurry. 

[Phoenixguard09]

We're living proof of that Jub.

Although I'm interested to note that at 5'9", I'd be considered rather tall. And my 6' friend would probably be lynched as some sort of abnormally tall demonic entity.

[Phoenixguard09]

Hehe good to see this is in another thread.

[Scarlet]

:O A new thread! The other one had gone slightly off topic

Now.. *beginsreadingwhatwillinevitablyreadasnonsense*

[Jubal]

http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/40267840?uid=3738032&uid=2134&uid=2&uid=70&uid=4&sid=21102537647577

The abstract of the above paper is my data source btw.

[comrade_general]

I'm 6' 1.5", or 186.7 cm to you Britons, which means I am far more advanced than the lot of you!

[Jubal]

Actually we still measure human height in feet and inches generally.  Also, argh, it's a giant! Flee, flee!

[Lady Grey]

I'm only 5'2" ish... SotK's like, 6'3" xD

[Lady Grey]

On this topic... Did anyone here a few years ago that scientists think we might be evolving into two groups of the tall and the short? I'll try and find an article somewhere about it... 

[comrade_general]

SotK's like, 6'3" xD

Spoiler

[Son of the King]

You are all small