• Question: How can dolphins sleep with half of their brain awake?

    Asked by Alby to Carmen, Daniel, Laura, Noel, Steph on 16 Mar 2015.
    • Photo: Noel Carter

      Noel Carter answered on 16 Mar 2015:

      I really have no idea! 🙂 That is why science is really fascinating there are so many questions to find out and answer

    • Photo: Carmen Denman

      Carmen Denman answered on 16 Mar 2015:

      Hi Alby,

      Thankfully, my partner is a marine biologist and has helped me answer this one! Also, I had to google you a good website to read up on this. Here is what I found:

      “Dolphins can stay constantly alert for more than two weeks by sleeping with only half of their brains, researchers say.These findings suggest how dolphins can keep on the constant lookout for sharks, investigators added. Unlike land mammals, dolphins sleep with only part of their brains at any time, past research has suggested. Half of their brains rest, while the other half remains “awake,” and dolphins regularly switch which side is active.” This is from a science blog called livescience, that I really like, they explain things in an easy to understand way!

      http://www.livescience.com/24061-dolphins-stay-awake-weeks.html

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