Genetic Mutation Enables Less Sleep 272
reporter writes to tell us that researchers are claiming to have discovered a genetic mutation that allows people to manage with much less sleep. One of the researchers hopes that this could lead to artificially reducing the amount of sleep required in your average human. "Although the mutation has been identified in only two people, the power of the research stems from the fact that the shortened sleep effect was replicated in mouse and fruit-fly studies. As a result, the research now gives scientists a clearer sense of where to look for genetic traits linked to sleep patterns."
Re:Next up (Score:5, Informative)
Maybe they'll find a genetic predisposition of attraction to LCD screens and avoidance of sunlight.
Don't joke dude; the gene is named DEC [wikipedia.org]2; I'm sure they'll find it.
In any case, this is VERY exploratory stuff. They have found the gene in two women only, but were able to replicate it in some poor little mice and fruit flies. Other than that, the lack of details is what is outstanding about the article.
Oh, for those tagging this as "registration required", just google the effing URL of the NYTimes article, as users that come from Google get a free ride. You gotta hand it to these newspapers guys; they want to block people while getting google love.
Re:Boy, this sounds great ... (Score:3, Informative)
I know what I would do:
Spend more time practicing my instruments (piano and sax).
Spend more time doing my hobby of 3d modeling and animation.
Spend more time with my GF.
Spend more time outside.
Basically spend more time doing stuff that is fun rather than sleeping (during which not much happens...).
Re:Terrible Joke You All Know (Score:3, Informative)
On the other side of the globe, New Zealanders get the short end of the stick in regards to livestock love.
Here endeth the lesson.
Re:Employment Adjustments (Score:3, Informative)
Yes, I do believe that historically the christian churches have caused more harm to society than any other single force. And I disapprove of ALL dictatorships.
One could mention several attempts to equal the harm done by the christian churches...Genghis Khan, Tamerlane, Hitler, Pot Pol, etc., but they have all been but short term affairs. To equal the evil of the churches requires staying power.
I have a friend who argues that Soviet Communism was basically a Christian heresy. I haven't found a good argument that he's wrong. In both cases there's the worship of an infallible authority. (The Protestant Churches claim that he's not incarnate, the Catholics say that the Pope is infallible. So some Protestant churches are tolerable. If you claim that there exists an infallible authority, but that nobody knows what it really wants, then you aren't doing much harm.)