13 Facts About Tall People That Will Make You Say "Holy Shit"

Bonus fact: The weather up here is pretty much the same.

1. Tall people might be a little smarter.

NBC / Via youtube.com

There's a "moderate and statistically significant genetic correlation between height and general intelligence," one study found. Other studies came to similar conclusions.

2. And tall people are more likely to be leaders.

SoulPancake / Via giphy.com

The majority (58%) of Fortune 500 CEOs are over 6 feet tall. And 38 of the last 43 American presidents have been taller than average height (5 feet 10 inches). Of course, it could just be that society is more likely to associate height with confidence and other leadership qualities.

3. And, as a result, tall people also tend to make more money.

20th Century Fox / Via giphy.com

One study predicted that a person who is 6 feet tall would earn $166,000 more than someone who is 5 feet 4 inches over the course of 30 years.

4. Tall people's reflexes take a ~bit~ longer to react.

Lionsgate / Via giphy.com

That's because it takes a tiny bit longer for the nerve signals to travel to the brain. In one study, researchers found the signals slowed down 0.17 meters per second for every centimeter taller a person was.

5. The world's tallest people are in the Netherlands, where men average nearly 6 feet tall.

@rluttikhuizen / Via Twitter: @rluttikhuizen

6. The tallest person ever was Robert Wadlow.

Associated Press / Via apimages.com

Born on Feb. 22, 1918, Wadlow was 6 feet 5 inches at the age of 10, and eventually grew to be 8 feet 11 inches tall.

7. His shoe size was a 37AA.

Doug Coldwell / Via commons.wikimedia.org

A goddamn 18.5-inch foot!

8. The world's tallest living person, Sultan Kösen, stands at 8 feet 3 inches tall.

Guinness World Records / Via guinnessworldrecords.com

Here he is at his wedding — his wife is 5 feet 9 inches.

9. Zeng Jinlian holds the record for world's tallest woman ever.

Weekly World News / Via books.google.com

Standing at 8 feet 1.75 inches tall.

10. This kind of serious height is sometimes the result of the rare health conditions gigantism and acromegaly.

Andrew Cowie / AFP / Getty Images / Via gettyimages.com

Both are disorders in the pituitary gland that cause excess production of growth hormone. Gigantism causes kids' bones to grow larger than normal, whereas acromegaly occurs after normal bone development has stopped — causing other body parts, like the hands, feet, and chest, to keep growing.

It's been reported that both Wadlow's and Kösen's heights are the result of gigantism.

11. Gheorghe Muresan and Manute Bol are the two tallest people to ever play in the NBA — at 7 feet 7 inches.

Ted Mathias / Getty Images / Via gettyimages.com, Mike Powell / Getty Images / Via gettyimages.com

It's also been reported that Muresan has gigantism and acromegaly.

12. Research shows that tall people may have a lower risk of heart disease.

NBC / Via pinterest.com

It's still unclear whether this is because of wider blood vessels — that don't clog as quickly — or because of environmental factors, like diet.

13. And finally, tall men are the primary target of the bloodsucking Scottish biting midge.

Universal / Via github.com

Apparently because we're larger targets that produce more heat, moisture, and carbon dioxide. 😳