And so to bed...

Badly Shaved Monkey

Anti-homeopathy illuminati member
Badly Shaved Monkey
Joined
Feb 5, 2004
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Here's another one of those threads that risks revealing I can't use Google properly.

My little boy asked me whether bugs (i.e. insects) sleep and I found I couldn't answer how widespread the phenomenon of sleep is especially as one goes down the ladder of biological complexity.

It seems that sleep was assumed not to occur in simpler organisms, but now there is evidence to the contrary;

http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20000219/fob4.asp

but this brings up a problem of definitions;

http://www.entm.purdue.edu/Entomology/ext/Outreach/onSixLegs/OSL_files/html/2004/2004-12-23.htm

especially if we move to lifeforms simpler than insects. If a nematode worm is not moving, is it sleeping, resting or just wondering what it did to get elected president?

Anyone know where sleep stops as we descend the ladder? (Please, pedants, who like neither the ladder nor the branching tree of life representing what we subjectvely call 'progress' in evolution with us at its pinnacle, refrain from airing that objection. I hope we all know what I mean when I say 'simple' lifeforms for the purpose of this discussion)
 
Badly Shaved Monkey said:
You are a gentleman and a scholar.
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I'm gentle, I'm a man, I've gone to schools, but I'm neither a gentleman nor a scholar. :D
 
When I was at college, there was a school of thought that cattle don't sleep.

Rolfe.
 
Rolfe said:
When I was at college, there was a school of thought that cattle don't sleep.

Rolfe.
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Try telling that to midwest (USA) small town kids who reportedly enjoy late-night trips to the country for an exciting round of "cow tipping" where (they say) a sleeping cow can be easily pushed over. They also find great sport in "chicken hypnotizing" where you push (from behind) a chicken's head down so its eye is near the dirt, then draw a line with your finger in the dirt from near the eye heading away, and then carefully let go. I was told the bird will freeze in this position for many minutes.

It always amazes me what some folks will do for a giggle.:D

Dave
 
Rolfe said:
When I was at college, there was a school of thought that cattle don't sleep.

Rolfe.
Click to expand...
I can assure you cows sleep. I will further tell you it is odd the first time you see them sleeping. They sleep standing up odd since they often rest lying down on their stomachs.

ETA, I grew up on a small farm accross the street from a dairy. I never tipped a cow and never knew anyone that did. It seems particularly cruel and I never understood the motivation.
 
CaveDave said:
They also find great sport in "chicken hypnotizing" where you push (from behind) a chicken's head down so its eye is near the dirt, then draw a line with your finger in the dirt from near the eye heading away, and then carefully let go. I was told the bird will freeze in this position for many minutes.
Click to expand...

From what I have seen, if you put a chicken's head lower than its body (presumably lower than the heart?) then it will zone out for a while. No finger magic required! It doesn't seem to hurt them, but it does make them easier to examine.
 
RandFan said:
ETA, I grew up on a small farm accross the street from a dairy. I never tipped a cow and never knew anyone that did. It seems particularly cruel and I never understood the motivation.
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Nor I, but the world is brimfull of ignorant, misguided, cruel, and just plain evil types who find humor in the oddest deeds.

And some folks believe they are children of god throughout. Bizarre!

Dave
 
richardm said:
From what I have seen, if you put a chicken's head lower than its body (presumably lower than the heart?) then it will zone out for a while. No finger magic required! It doesn't seem to hurt them, but it does make them easier to examine.
Click to expand...
I never saw it done, but I suspected the "line" was superfluous. Didn't suspect that was the mechanism. Thanks for the info.:)

Dave
 
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