"Any field of science is about paying attention, whether you're putting something under a microscope, cataloguing animal behavior, or figuring out what genes or cells do. When you pay more attention, you get to be surprised by things that you had become numb to, like saying goodbye, listening to music, sleeping in, or feeling like an adult."
"For example, when I learned that genetic variations led some people to thrive on four hours of sleep per night, I realized there were people out there with more time each day-time that I wished I had to do things like finish Thomas Mann's 'The Magic Mountain' for my book club. What do they do with all that extra wakeful consciousness?"
Observing a dog's greeting and departure behaviors sparked curiosity about how animals communicate farewells differently than humans. Research shows most animals, including nonhuman primates, lack goodbye rituals. This observation prompted deeper attention to everyday experiences and their scientific dimensions. By examining seemingly mundane topics through research, the author discovered that many aspects of daily life—sleep needs, music preferences, aging—vary significantly among individuals. Genetic variations explain why some people thrive on minimal sleep while others require more rest. This shift in perspective transforms routine experiences into sources of wonder and reveals that the world operates with more flexibility and variation than typically recognized.
#scientific-observation #animal-behavior #sleep-variation #everyday-experiences #human-individuality
Read at The New Yorker
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