在太空長高9釐米? 日本宇航員爲此致歉!

Japanese astronaut has apologised for causing "fake news" when he tweeted he had grown 9cm (3.5ins) after going to the International Space Station.

日前，日本宇航員爲其在前往國際空間站後，在推特上宣稱自己長了9釐米（3.5英寸）一事致歉。

Norishige Kanai has since corrected his initial claim, saying he has actually grown 2cm.

日本宇航員金井宣茂近日修正了其最初的聲明，稱自己實際上長高了2cm。

It is common for astronauts to grow between 2cm and 5cm while in space as the vertebrae in their spine stretch out due to the lack of downward pressure from gravity.

在太空中，由於缺乏重力的向下壓力，脊椎動物的脊椎骨會適當的伸展，因此長高2cm～5cm之間是比較常見的現象。

The astronaut did not explain how the initial error was made but added he was glad he would be able to return to earth in the Soyuz spacecraft, which has a seating height limit.

這位宇航員並沒有解釋最初的錯誤是如何產生的，但他補充說，他很高興自己能夠搭乘“聯盟號”飛船返回地球，因爲該飛船有座位高度限制。

Dr Kanai made headlines around the world when he tweeted that he was concerned he would not be allowed to board the Russian-built craft home after his 9cm growth spurt.

金井宣茂在推特上發文稱，他擔心自己在長高9釐米後不能進入俄羅斯建造的飛船，成了被全球媒體關注的頭條新聞。

While the growth phenomenon is experienced by most people who go to space, they do not remain taller when they go back to Earth, where gravity forces vertebrae to close together.

儘管大多數前往太空的人都經歷過這種增長現象，但當他們回到地球時，他們並不會繼續維持這個高度，因爲地球引力會迫使脊椎靠近。

Dr Kanai, who is on his first space mission, was previously a diving medical officer with the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force.

此次是金井宣茂第一次執行太空任務，之前他是日本海上自衛隊的潛水醫務人員。