# How tall is Superman, really?

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCqpIfPcYmk
Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/sCqpIfPcYmk
Generated: 2026-02-12T16:41:30.021+00:00

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## Quick Overview

David Corenswet's true height is calculated to be 6 ft 3.2 inches to 6 ft 3.4 inches, contradicting his claimed height of 6'4", based on analysis utilizing the circadian variation in human stature, known reference objects like street barricades, and photographic metadata.

**Key Points:**
- David Corenswet claimed a height of 6'4" (193 cm) in a Vanity Fair lie detector test segment.
- Internet detective Shane Fan initially calculated Corenswet's height to be 6'2" and 4/5ths (approx. 6'2.8") using a street barricade of a verified 43.75 inches as a reference object.
- The video creator re-analyzed a second photo from Corenswet's appearance on the Today Show (taken around 9:15 AM - 9:15:15 AM GMT) which had better posture and reliable reference objects.
- Accounting for circadian height variation (losing about 1.1% of total height after waking up), the creator calculated Corenswet's height at 2:00 PM to be 6 ft 3.2 inches.
- Extrapolating the height curve backwards to the moment he wakes up (his tallest point), the expected height is near 6 ft 3.5 inches.
- The final conclusion places Corenswet's height in a range of 6 ft 3.2 inches to 6 ft 3.4 inches, confirming he is shorter than his claimed 6'4".

![Screenshot at 1:45: The creator overlays tracking points \(red circles\) on a photo of Corenswet taken at the Empire State Building and uses the known height of a reference object \(the white vertical line next to him\) to begin recalculating his height while accounting for lens distortion.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/sCqpIfPcYmk/00-01-45.jpg)

**Context:** This video investigates the true height of actor David Corenswet, who was recently cast as Superman. The investigation begins by referencing Corenswet's claim of being 6'4" made during a Vanity Fair lie detector test segment, which is then scrutinized using physical measurement techniques and analysis of photographic evidence, specifically accounting for natural variations in human height throughout the day (circadian rhythm).

## Detailed Analysis

The investigation into David Corenswet's height starts by referencing his claim of being 6'4" during a Vanity Fair lie detector test, which was immediately flagged as a lie by the test itself (0:08). The video then shifts to analytical work by 'Internet detective Shane Fan,' who used a street photo where Corenswet stood next to steel barricades, which Fan identified as a specific model measuring 43.75 inches high (0:17-0:28). Shane calculated Corenswet's height based on this reference to be 6'2" and 4/5ths (0:22). The video creator then critiques this measurement, noting the barricades might not be the exact model and that Corenswet's posture in that photo was not fully upright (1:07-1:12). The creator then uses a second photo, taken on the same day after Corenswet's appearance on the Today Show (around 9:15 AM), which featured better posture and confirmed camera metadata (Canon R5, 50mm lens) (1:30-1:38). By applying scientific data on circadian variation in human stature—which shows people gain height while sleeping and lose up to 1.1% while awake (1:56-2:06)—and correcting for lens distortion, the creator calculates a height of 6 ft 3.2 inches at 2:00 PM (1:48). Extrapolating back to his tallest point upon waking, the expected height is about 6 ft 3.5 inches. This places Corenswet in a final confidence range of 6 ft 3.2 in to 6 ft 3.4 in, contradicting his 6'4" claim.

### Initial Claims and Skepticism

- David Corenswet claimed 6'4" during a lie detector test, which was marked as a lie
- Nicholas Hoult was also shown in the lie detector segment
- Corenswet's audition tape claimed 6'4" (~193 cm) (0:01-0:12)

### Shane Fan's Initial Investigation

- Internet detective Shane Fan used a street photo with a standard barricade (43.75 in high) to estimate Corenswet's height at 6'2" and 4/5ths (0:15-0:24)

### Critique and Second Photo Analysis

- The creator finds issues with the barricade model accuracy and Corenswet's posture in the first photo
- A second photo from the Today Show appearance (2:00 PM GMT) provided better posture and confirmed camera metadata (1:07-1:38)

### Applying Circadian Data

- A study on circadian variation in human stature shows height fluctuation of up to 1.1% between sleep and waking hours (1:56-2:06)
- Using this data and correcting for lens distortion, the creator calculates Corenswet's height at 2:00 PM as 6 ft 3.2 inches (1:48)

### Final Conclusion

- Extrapolating back to his tallest moment (waking up), the expected height is near 6 ft 3.5 inches
- The final confidence range is 6 ft 3.2 in to 6 ft 3.4 in, proving the 6'4" claim is inaccurate (1:26-1:55)

### Howtown Promotion

- The video concludes by promoting a new full episode about the truth and accuracy of lie detectors (2:52-2:59)

![Screenshot at 0:01: The video opens with David Corenswet surrounded by miscellaneous research materials, setting up the investigation into his height.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/sCqpIfPcYmk/00-00-01.jpg)
![Screenshot at 0:04: David Corenswet smiling while hooked up to a polygraph machine during a Vanity Fair segment.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/sCqpIfPcYmk/00-00-04.jpg)
![Screenshot at 0:21: Shane Fan overlays measurements onto a photo of Corenswet, using a street barricade as a known reference object for scale.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/sCqpIfPcYmk/00-00-21.jpg)
![Screenshot at 1:05: The creator compares Shane's calculation \(25 mm heel height\) against the expected range \(22-24 mm\) for the Edward Green shoes Corenswet is wearing.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/sCqpIfPcYmk/00-01-05.jpg)
![Screenshot at 2:17: Photo metadata confirms the second image was taken on July 9, 2025, at 18:02 GMT \(around 2:00 PM local time\), providing a precise time stamp for height calculation.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/sCqpIfPcYmk/00-02-17.jpg)
