Learn more physics!
Q:
why does human sleeps for so many hours?
- gabriel beh (age 11)
Tampines North Primary School, SIngapore
A:
Gabriel -
That's an excellent question, and I
(unfortunately) don't know the answer. In fact, no one does! For all
that we spend about a third of our life sleeping, no one actually knows
what exactly it is that sleep does for us. Some people have suggested
that it is something special to higher lifeforms and has to do with the
complex structure of our brain, but even they don't know anything
specific. If you happen to figure it out, though, please let me know!
There are a lot of scientists who'd like to know, too.
-Tamara
(published on 10/22/2007)
Follow-up on this answer.
