Improbable Research- The 2011 Ig Nobel Physiology Prize was
shared by Anna Wilkinson (of the UK), Natalie Sebanz (of the
Netherlands, Hungary, and Austria), Isabella Mandl (of Austria) and
Ludwig Huber (of Austria) for their study ‘No Evidence of Contagious Yawning in the Red-Footed Tortoise.’ (published in Current Zoology, vol. 57, no. 4, 2011. pp. 477-84.)
Since then, research investigating Contagious Yawning in other species has not abated – two recent studies have added to the growing list* of animals which have been shown to contagiously yawn.
See: Presence of contagious yawning in sheep (2016) and When Yawning Occurs in Elephants (2017)
* The current list includes (but is prob. not limited to)
Humans
Chimpanzees
Bonobos
Orangutans
Macaque monkeys
Gelada baboons
Wolves
Domestic dogs
Rats
Budgerigars
Sheep
Elephants
Since then, research investigating Contagious Yawning in other species has not abated – two recent studies have added to the growing list* of animals which have been shown to contagiously yawn.
See: Presence of contagious yawning in sheep (2016) and When Yawning Occurs in Elephants (2017)
* The current list includes (but is prob. not limited to)
Humans
Chimpanzees
Bonobos
Orangutans
Macaque monkeys
Gelada baboons
Wolves
Domestic dogs
Rats
Budgerigars
Sheep
Elephants
2 comments:
I cannot imaging a better use of the research budget.
Certainly this study deserves the Nobel Prize for the betterment of the human condition.
But wait, if we knew whether blue-eyed sheep passed more gas (metric joules per liter) than green-eyed sheep while yawning, that certainly should get the prize.
Hmmm...
In a 'scientific' study that included no more than one dog and one human, in a non-double blind study, and not pier-reviewed in any scientific journal...
I noticed that if my dog yawned, often I would yawn.
However, on occasion I would purposely yawn just to see if my dog would follow suit, but she never did.
The dog eventually died from old age, and possibly boredom. I however have a few years to go, and am fascinated with such stories.
Post a Comment