tl;dr: New research on Dipterocarp trees in Malaysian Borneo (ranging 7-71 meters tall) contradicts the long-held theory that height impairs water transport and increases drought vulnerability. The tallest trees compensate through wider water-carrying vessels near the ground and leaves adapted to withstand greater water stress, showing no height-related growth loss during the 2023-2024 El Niño drought. The findings challenge current climate models that predict tall trees face higher drought mortality risk—significant because the tallest 1% of trees store over half of forests' above-ground carbon.