Scaling new heights

John Komlos, a professor of economics at the University of Munich, has evidently done extensive work on how physical height generally rises with prosperity – what he calls “anthropometric history”. For example, he is quoted in a recent article in the Chicago Tribune (28 May) saying: “height is a pretty good indicator of how well a society treats its children and young people.” He has also looked at why average heights in Many European countries have overtaken those in America.

Komlos got his PhD under Robert Fogel of the University of Chicago (see posts of 30 July 2006, 7 August 2006 and 21 December 2007).