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The Unquiet Dead
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Re: origin of hobbits
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Quote:<hr> It doesn't take very long for the stature of a population to change. Look at the size of people 150 years ago, Lincoln was huge at 6 feet 4 inches, now that's only a little more than average. Napoleon was average in the low 5's.<hr></blockquote>
Mind you, the significant chage which you remark in height is not due to a genetic development, but rather to increased intake of calories and especially of proteins (and especially during childhood). The Japanese made a similar (but even more rapid) surge in mean height during the post-war occupation because of the dietary influence of Americans. They took to eating much more meat and rapidly became (on average) much taller than most east-Asian peoples. A native-born Thai friend of mine, who has lived in the states since grade school was back in Thailand a year or so ago. Everyone thought he was Japanese because he was so big. (p.s., he might be 5'6"
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