The brain sensor discovery behind humans getting taller
News from the BBC
The puzzle of why humans are growing taller and reaching puberty earlier than ever before can be explained by a sensor in the brain, scientists say.
Average height in the UK rose by 3.9in (10cm) during the 20th Century, and up to 7.8in in other countries, as nutritional health improved.
But exactly how this happens has never been understood.
The discovery could lead to drugs to improve muscle mass and treat delayed growth, UK researchers say.