Researchers believe the yawning robot may have triggered some biological mechanism in the chimps that they associated with sleep. Image: Popular Science composite, Getty Images/ RMJM, Aline ...

Katie has a PhD in maths, specializing in the intersection of dynamical systems and number theory. She reports on topics from maths and history to society and animals. Katie has a PhD in maths, ...

Johanna Simkin does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond ...

A cute video of an Amazon tree boa yawning went viral, but is it really yawning? Read here to learn more about why snakes yawn.

Yawning seems like such a simple act, yet it holds surprising power over us. Just watching someone yawn — even a stranger — can suddenly trigger the irresistible urge to yawn yourself. Why does this ...

Open your mouth wide, stretch the muscles of your jaw and upper body, take a slow breath in, and then exhale quickly. What have you done? You have yawned. Many animals, including humans, yawn. They do ...

It’s adorable when your cuddly kitty curls up and gives a big yawn, notifying the world of their utter contentment with life. After all, what can feel better than a great big relaxing huff or a ...

Contagious yawning is a widespread phenomenon that extends beyond merely being a sign of drowsiness; it is a behaviour interwoven with both physiological regulation and social communication. Recent ...

Yawning isn’t just a deep breath indicating tiredness or boredom, but a process that reorganises the flow of fluids out of the brain, according to MRI scans that also suggest we each yawn in a ...