Q. Why astronaut become 2 inches taller in space ?
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Q. Why astronaut become 2 inches taller in space ?
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It is an established fact that astronauts that spend appreciable time in a microgravity environment such as the International Space Station become up to 3% taller for the duration of their stay. It is believed that the increase in height is due to an expansion of the spinal discs in between the astronauts' vertebrae.
NASA is currently completing Sonographic Astronaut Vertebral Examination on the ISS to get a more complete picture of the of phenomena in order to determine its precise cause (current theories include gravitational unloading of the discs, alteration of muscle tone and increased water retention within the discs) and help prevent injuries that might result from the effect.