Dolphins Can Sleep One-half of Their Brain At a Time Say Researchers 139
An anonymous reader writes "Looks like the evolution in multi-core computing is something nature has already figured out. Dolphins will sleep one core while the other remains vigilant, running background tasks necessary for survival. From the article: 'The scientists wrote: "From an anthropomorphic viewpoint, the ability of the dolphin to continuously monitor its environment for days without interruption seems extreme. However, the biological, sensory and cognitive ecology of these animals is relatively unique and demanding. If dolphins sleep like terrestrial animals, they might drown. If dolphins fail to maintain vigilance, they become susceptible to predation. As a result, the apparent 'extreme' capabilities these animals possess are likely to be quite normal, unspectacular, and necessary for survival from the dolphin's perspective."'"
Wrong headline (Score:5, Informative)
The news is that they can stay awake for 15 days at a time. Scientists have known for 30 years that dolphins can sleep with one hemisphere.
Re:Evolution (Score:5, Informative)
We've already found drugs that can keep a person going without sleep for weeks or months at a time, apparently without any significant reduction in cognitive ability or any significant change in neurological functioning.
Link please, otherwise I'm calling bogus. The official world record for going without sleep is 18 days.
Look up 'Fatal Familial Insomnia' in which death follows (as best as anyone can tell) from lack of sleep.
Re:Evolution (Score:3, Informative)
Those drugs can keep you alert for extended periods, but then you need an inordinate amount of recovery time for the missed sleep and performance never seems as good as normal. The increased uptime, as it were, isn't free. Yes, I've studied some brain chemistry with regards to drugs such as modafinil.
Re:Republicans have brains? (Score:0, Informative)
They just don't have any hearts.
Re:Wrong headline (Score:4, Informative)
BFD. Hell, Rick James used to do that twice a month.