# Physical Changes - Would You Be Suspicious? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 19, 2013, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-changes-would-you-be-suspicious/658736 "2013-05-19T16:48:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimmy_Gibbler)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2013, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-changes-would-you-be-suspicious/658736/21 "2013-05-19T22:45:56Z")
> [@AHeinrich](#): > > Let’s say that you and I were loose acquaintances and I was 6 foot 4 and had dark brown eyes. > > We subsequently don’t see each other for five months and then I show up later (i.e. after those five months) standing more than a foot taller in height (i.e. 7’4) with blue eyes and a longer face - would you be suspicious? Would you be alarmed? What would go through your mind? > > Just wondering… > [@AHeinrich](#): > > But just think about it for a second. If you were an intelligent extraterrestrial race and you wanted to invade Earth for resources or slaves - do you really think such a race would invade in the conventional Hollywood format? Guns blazing; fighters bombarding Earth? > > Think about it - you’re sufficiently advanced to achieve FTL space travel - you’d be intelligent to pull off an invasion without even trying hard. You could easily release a toxin or something similar across the entire world (which even a gas mask or self-contained bunker couldn’t protect against) that would simply disable the entire human population and just strut in and do what you want. > > If the intelligent race didn’t even want to use us, they could just gas the entire planet with us being non-the-wiser. > > I highly doubt a super-intelligent interstellar-traveling race would invade Hollywood style unless they liked fighting and warring as a sport and relished at the prospect of a challenging invasion… That’s mania for you! ---
**Author:** ![Cinnamon\_Imp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@Cinnamon\_Imp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cinnamon_Imp)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2013, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-changes-would-you-be-suspicious/658736/22 "2013-05-20T09:52:57Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > The Doctor actually exists? _applause_ > [@AHeinrich](#): > > Let’s say that you and I were loose acquaintances and I was 6 foot 4 and had dark brown eyes. > > We subsequently don’t see each other for five months and then I show up later (i.e. after those five months) standing more than a foot taller in height (i.e. 7’4) with blue eyes and a longer face - would you be suspicious? Would you be alarmed? What would go through your mind? > > Just wondering… Nothing relevant would go through my mind, as I wouldn’t even recognise you as the same acquaintance. ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2013, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-changes-would-you-be-suspicious/658736/23 "2013-05-20T11:30:14Z")
> [@AHeinrich](#): > > Let’s say that you and I were loose acquaintances and I was 6 foot 4 and had dark brown eyes. > > We subsequently don’t see each other for five months and then I show up later (i.e. after those five months) standing more than a foot taller in height (i.e. 7’4) with blue eyes and a longer face - would you be suspicious? Would you be alarmed? What would go through your mind? I’ve got experience in this area - the observer wouldn’t recognize you, period. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2013, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-changes-would-you-be-suspicious/658736/24 "2013-05-20T12:48:31Z")
As others have said, I wouldn’t recognize you. ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2013, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-changes-would-you-be-suspicious/658736/25 "2013-05-20T13:12:05Z")
I wouldn’t believe you were you. And I certainly wouldn’t step into your police box. _Dammit, beaten to the punchline!_ ---
**Author:** ![GoodOmens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@GoodOmens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GoodOmens)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2013, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-changes-would-you-be-suspicious/658736/26 "2013-05-20T13:22:33Z")
I would be alarmed seeing someone 7’4" regardless of whether I prevously knew the person and he changed height. I’m trying to comprehend what someone like that would look like to little old 5’6" me. ---
**Author:** ![Hakuna\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@Hakuna\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hakuna_Matata)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2013, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-changes-would-you-be-suspicious/658736/27 "2013-05-20T14:04:18Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > There are roughly less than 100 men over 7 feet tall in the US. Probably less than a 1000 in the whole world. If someone grew from 6’4" to 7’4" in a few months, I’d probably shoot them between the eyes because they’re clearly some kind of demon and/or hostile alien. > > [http://www.truthaboutit.net/2012/05/true-or-false-half-of-all-7-footers-are-in-the-nba.html](http://www.truthaboutit.net/2012/05/true-or-false-half-of-all-7-footers-are-in-the-nba.html) That is interesting as I know TWO guys who are 7’0" tall–both structural engineers. And 7’0" tall is damn tall. I have many friends who are 6’0" to 6’4" tall and they look tiny next to these guys. Both these guys are well over 40 years old but that is interesting if they are 2 of the 100 or so guys that tall. I will have to tell them both how unique they are (like they don’t know). I will tell you do NOT ask a tall guy ‘how is the weather up there’—they hate that! ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2013, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-changes-would-you-be-suspicious/658736/28 "2013-05-20T14:17:29Z")
**AHeinrich** , why are you asking this question? ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2013, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-changes-would-you-be-suspicious/658736/29 "2013-05-20T14:33:05Z")
I would assume you’d come in contact with a strange meteorite, and nano bots turned you into an Evish man. Take off your hat and show us thine pointy ears! ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2013, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-changes-would-you-be-suspicious/658736/30 "2013-05-20T14:38:07Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > **AHeinrich** , why are you asking this question? [Earlier thread…](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=690983) :dubious: \*\*Errr… The above post should read “Elvish man”. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2013, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-changes-would-you-be-suspicious/658736/31 "2013-05-20T14:41:58Z")
> [@Interrobang](#): > > I would be alarmed seeing someone 7’4" regardless of whether I prevously knew the person and he changed height. I’m trying to comprehend what someone like that would look like to little old 5’6" me. He would be very tall, and would kick your ass in basketball. ---
**Author:** ![AHeinrich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecccb3/32.png) [@AHeinrich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHeinrich)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2013, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-changes-would-you-be-suspicious/658736/32 "2013-05-21T22:43:36Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > [Earlier thread…](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=690983) :dubious: > \*\*Errr… The above post should read “Elvish man”. Move along - nothing to see here. 🥷 ---
**Author:** ![Cinnamon\_Imp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@Cinnamon\_Imp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cinnamon_Imp)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-changes-would-you-be-suspicious/658736/33 "2013-05-22T12:40:05Z")
> [@epbrown01](#): > > I’ve got experience in this area - the observer wouldn’t recognize you, period. I’m giving into my curiosity - what experience do you have, please? ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-changes-would-you-be-suspicious/658736/34 "2013-05-22T16:35:33Z")
> [@Cinnamon\_Imp](#): > > I’m giving into my curiosity - what experience do you have, please? Nano-bots… Please let it be nano-bots!.. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-changes-would-you-be-suspicious/658736/35 "2013-05-22T16:38:41Z")
I for once welcome our new towering-tall alien overlords. ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-changes-would-you-be-suspicious/658736/36 "2013-05-22T17:05:46Z")
> [@Cinnamon\_Imp](#): > > I’m giving into my curiosity - what experience do you have, please? I graduated high school standing at 5’6" and weighing 180-lbs. Over the summer and throughout freshman year in college, I grew to 6’2" weighing same and started wearing glasses, so a short stocky guy became a beanpole with glasses. Whose pants were always too short. And tripped and bumped his head a lot. Which was _exactly_ as fun and sexy as it sounds. You have any idea how much it sucks to have people suddenly start assuming you play Dungeons and Dragons? It should be a square in the Happy Days game: “You grow 8 inches in one year, lose all Cool points.” About seven people from my hs graduating class went to the same university and are aware of the change. I’ve gone unrecognized by the rest for _decades_. I’ve seen the odd puzzled “is that…?” look, but in the end they tend to dismiss it. The one time a former classmate recognized me, I was crouched down so my changed height didn’t throw her off, and she started to take it back when I stood up and she saw I was a half-foot taller than she remembered. (“Excuse me, are you - oh, sorry, thought you were someone else”). ---
**Author:** ![RedBloom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dbc845/32.png) [@RedBloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedBloom)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2013, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-changes-would-you-be-suspicious/658736/37 "2013-05-22T19:24:45Z")
Perhaps _you_ shrunk and went color blind, making his appearance seem totally different? Thyroid. You can always blame the thyroid too. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-changes-would-you-be-suspicious/658736/38 "2013-05-23T04:14:08Z")
I’d think to myself, “Huh, small world. This giant has the same name as this other guy I kinda know. Who’da thunk it?” ---
**Author:** ![scratch\_llll](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@scratch\_llll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scratch_llll)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-changes-would-you-be-suspicious/658736/39 "2013-05-23T05:22:07Z")
I would cut his head off so things would be normal again. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/physical-changes-would-you-be-suspicious/658736.md?page=1)