Researchers examined men born between 1866 and 1915 in a rural Sardinian village—an area known for exceptional longevity. 😮 They linked height measurements taken at age 20 (from military conscription records) with death ages to analyze survival patterns using life expectancy estimates and statistical models.  Surprisingly, shorter men (under 161.1 cm) tended to live longer than their taller peers. At age 70, shorter individuals on average lived two to three years longer than taller ones.  Their risk of mortality continued to be lower even at advanced ages, as confirmed through detailed survival modeling.  Biological explanations were explored: shorter stature is associated with lower metabolic and cellular stress, fewer risks from cancer and heart disease, and possibly the benefits of caloric restriction and reduced cellular replication demands.  In sum, within this longevity-focused Sardinian population, having a shorter stature in early adulthood correlated with higher surv...