Do You Want to Be Taller? Try Living in Space
Cosmonaut Yuri Romanenko grew four-tenths of an inch taller during his record 10 1/2 months in space, and fellow crewman Alexander Alexandrov grew six-tenths of an inch, a Soviet newspaper said Wednesday.
Alexandrov also gained weight, but Romanenko lost a few pounds as well as some muscle, according to the newspaper Soviet Russia, quoting former cosmonaut Georgy Grechko.
“During prolonged flights in the absence of normal gravity, human height increases,” said Grechko, who was at ground control outside Moscow when the cosmonauts landed in Soviet Kazakhstan on Tuesday.
Romanenko, who blasted into space last Feb. 6, lost 3.5 pounds during his 326-day mission, Soviet Russia said. Alexandrov, who joined him aboard Mir last July, gained five pounds.
The size of Romanenko’s calf muscles reportedly decreased by 15%, despite daily workouts.
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