Space Growth

[BeBMan]

I never knew 'bout this:

A Japanese astronaut who is living on the International Space Station says he has grown 9cm (3.5in) since arriving there just over three weeks ago.

Norishige Kanai wrote on social media he was worried he would not fit into the seat of the Russian Soyuz vehicle that is due to bring him home in June.

Astronauts grow an average of between two and five centimetres in space.

This is because of the absence of gravity which allows the vertebrae in their spines to spread apart.

Unfortunately:

Astronauts can grow while in space and return to a normal height when they go back to Earth.

from: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-42618786

[Lorizael]

Gravity is our eternal master, breaking our backs and keeping us on the ground. We must rebel!

[rah]

Wasn't this one of the reasons for the hanging upside down craze last century?
Short people thought it would make them taller.

[Dinner]

I wonder if decompressing the spine has any medical benefits?

[pchang]

I wonder if decompressing the spine has any medical benefits?

It does if you have existing back problems. Unfortunately, in space, we also experience bone loss and returning to a normal gravity field causes more complications and overall makes us worse off than if we never went into space at all.

[Proteus_MST]

Actually the same thing AFAIK happens to you during the night (at least if you sleep lying down and not standing ) ... i.e. due to the gravity vector not pressing on your spine, the disci intervertebrales relax and when you awake in the morning, you are a bit longer than at the end of the day

[Lorizael]

More evidence that getting out of bed is a mistake.

[ZEE]

AAHZ has given up on his body, basic maintenance but no moar. I have focused now 100% on the Qi.

Helps me get out of bed every day.

Sent from my HTC Desire 626 using Tapatalk

[Berzerker]

I had one of those tilting devices, it helped alleviate pressure on my damaged discs... I cant use it because of acid reflux Wow, 9 cm is like almost 4 inches.

Maybe thats why our 'gods' were giants, they came from a planet with more gravity and get taller here.

[Lorizael]

Apparently it was all fake news.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-s...-idUSKBN1EZ09G

Or a cover up. There was probably some freak space radiation accident and now he's one of the Fantastic Four.

[rah]

Typical Japanese, mistaking 2 cm for 9 cm.

[BeBMan]

Hm, 2 cm is better than nothing

[rah]

Not if it shrinks soon afterwards.

[Lorizael]

Well it is cold in space.

[The Mad Monk]

It always shrinks soon afterwards. ... What were we discussing?