Astronauts grow taller in space
In microgravity, astronauts temporarily grow taller as their spines elongate, but this painful stretching reverses upon returning to Earth, highlighting challenges for long-duration space travel.
Imagine growing up to 2 inches taller just by leaving Earth! Astronauts experience this phenomenon in space because microgravity allows their spines to elongate, as the discs between vertebrae expand with fluid. While it sounds like a superpower, this stretching can cause painful backaches and even make spacesuits ill-fitting.
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