TALL tale? 关于增高的传说？

If you think you’re too short (and you want to be tall), there’s always an option.

Go to space!

Yes, it’s true. People grow taller by two inches in space! It may be hard to believe, but there’s a science explanation for this.

Astronauts in space need space suits which are inches taller than they are. That is because they grow two inches taller while in space. If the suits are not made slightly bigger, then their head will squeeze against the suit!

Ok. So why do astronauts grow taller in space? Well, it’s all about gravity, I tell you. Due to the loss of gravity in space, there is no force to compress your spine. Think of your spine as a spring.

Release your grip on a spring, and it will bounce back to full shape. That’s the way it works with your spine.

As there’s gravity on earth, this force of gravity compresses or pushes down our spine. But in space, our spines will elongate as there is to force to push the spines back down.

However, astronauts will return back to their normal height again when they are back on earth!

So you can’t be taller (than you are now) forever.

Unless you decide to live in space for a long, long time.


如果你觉得自己太矮（而你想长高），那还有一种选择。

前进太空吧！

这是千真万确的。人们置身在太空会增高两英吋！这或许难以相信，但是这是有科学根据的。

身在太空中的太空人需要穿着比他们的身高高出两英吋的太空制服。这是因为他们在太空时将会长高两英吋。如果太空制服不制作稍大一些，他们的头将塞不进制服！

为什么太空人在太空会增高呢？这都是地心吸力的关系。由于太空丧失地心吸力，所以没有任何力量压缩你的脊椎。你的脊椎像是遇见了春天。

在春天释放你紧蹦的身体吧!它将恢复回你原本饱满完整的体型。这全是地心吸力在你的脊椎上发挥了作用。

由于地球具有地心吸力，这股重力压缩或推挤着我们的脊椎。但是，在太空，我们的脊椎却因为没有地心吸力挤压而伸长。

然而，当太空人返回地球时,他们将恢复回原本正常的高度！

所以你永远都不可能比现在还高。

除非你打算一直住在太空。