The Incredible Shrinking Man

According to the Water Footprint Network the fresh water involved in the production of a single cup of coffee (125ml) is 140 liters. One part of coffee consumes 1100 water parts. To make an average cup of coffee requires around 40 coffeebeans. To produce one bean requires 3,5 liters of water. In total the global [...]

During the Second World War Mussolini’s government urged Italians to keep guinea pigs to supplement their meager meat rations. It was not a bad idea. Rodents are the world’s most widespread, adaptable, and prolific group of mammals. They reproduce well, grow fast, and can adapt to a wide variety of local conditions.  Many are herbivores and [...]

If we decide to shrink the human species to 50cm our livestock needs will shrink with us. We’ll only consume about 2 to 5% of the food we consume today. The meat of one chicken could easily feed 100 people and one egg alone would be enough to make an omelet for 25 to 30 people. Poultry [...]

Smaller people require less nutrients, water and energy to live under the same conditions and life style of taller people. The energy requirements of a 50 centimeter person would be approximately 60 calories per day. That’s the number of calories in a small apple, and 2% of the caloric needs of an average person of [...]

In the introduction of this 1991 research paper by the National Research Council it states: “Like computers, livestock for use in developing countries should be getting smaller and becoming more “personal”. Conventional “mainframes”, such as cattle, are to large for the world’s poorest people; they require too much space and expense. “Miniframes”, such as the [...]

In the predominantly Anglo-Saxon culture of growing giant vegetables it is possible to get a taste of what life at 50 cm’s would be like in regards to the food supply. Visit the website of The European Giant Vegetables Grower’s Association for interesting links and photos of growers and their prizewinners.