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Saturday, June 17, 2006

Lighterside

Small But Durable
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In a recent survey in Iceland it was found that men who were 170cm or taller earned 16 per cent more on an average than their shorter colleagues. Taller women too were found to be earning more than shorter colleagues.
This is a finding which has been repeatedly corroborated by surveys, all over the world. Taller people seem to have an edge over shorter ones when it comes to earning money.
Taller men are also more popular with girls. But this is vertically-challenged who may have the last laugh. Latest research shows that the hormone that controls height, called the Insulin-like Growth factor(IGF) also controls agening. A low level of IGF means a longer life expectancy. In other words, shorties live longer.
Says Dr. Armand Leroi, a biologist who works at Imperial College in Ascot, England: "We know that big dogs seem to die early in life while smaller dogs enjoy more longevity. Mice whose growth has been deliberately stunted live up to 75 percent longer than their normal-sized neighbours. Studies show that this link also exists in humans. Many small people have deficiencies in IGF and there is a suggestion that they live longer.

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