Did you know that the Dutch have become the tallest people in the world, with an average height of 6 foot 1 for men, or that on average, Europeans are now one or two inches taller than Americans? Wonder why?

The increase in human length is too fast to be explained by genetic change. Rather, it must have to do with progress in nutrition, hygiene and medicine. As such, it also tells a story about health care systems and prenatal care, which may explain why Europeans have grown even more in average length than Americans, and are now on average one or two inches taller.

Well, um, since the market always makes the most efficient allocation of resources, and American health care resources are allocated via a free market, then I guess we can only conclude that there must be some economic advantage to being shorter, right?

The invisible hand moves in mysterious ways. Praise the market.