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Science Wednesday 10 august 2022
A13

Do spiders sleep? Study suggests they may snooze HEALTH

like humans DOCTOR ON DUTY

Oranjestad
By MADDIE BURAKOFF Hospital 7:00 pm / 10:00pm
AP Science Writer Tel. 527 4000
NEW YORK (AP) — It’s a San Nicolas
question that keeps some Imsan 24 hours
scientists awake at night: Tel.524 8833
Do spiders sleep? Women in Difficulties
Daniela Roessler and her PHARMACY ON DUTY
colleagues trained cam- Oranjestad:
eras on baby jumping spi- Sta. Anna tel. 586 8181
ders at night to find out. San Nicolas:
The footage showed pat- san Lucas tel. 584 5119
terns that looked a lot like Women in Difficulties
sleep cycles: OTHER
The spiders’ legs twitched Dental Clinic 587 9850
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The researchers described +297 588 0539
this pattern as a “REM Women in Difficulties
sleep-like state.” In hu- This photo provided by Daniela C. Roessler in August 2022 shows a jumping spider (E. arcuata) EMERGENCY
mans, REM, or rapid eye exhibiting leg curling during a REM sleep-like state.
movement, is an active Associated Press Police 100
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phase of sleep when parts Noord 527 3200
of the brain light up with pare their sleep cycles, or not at all to triggers that FOR SALE Sta. Cruz 527 2900
activity and is closely linked explained study co-author would normally set them Paradise Beach Villas San Nicolas 584 5000
with dreaming. Paul Shamble, an evolu- off. Refurbished Townhouse, Police Tipline 11141
Other animals, including tionary biologist at Harvard Critters like the jumping For Sale wk 32, 2bedr. 2bathr. Ambulancia 911
some birds and mammals, University. spider are very far from hu- sleeps 6, large, 2 balc. 2 pools Fire Dept. 115
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have been shown to ex- But these jumping spiders mans on the evolutionary great beach, sunset, 3 restau.
perience REM sleep. But are predators that move tree. Jerry Siegel, a sleep castem1@aol.com TAXI SERVICES
creatures like the jumping their retinas around to researcher who was not in- Call usa 516-238-2232 usa Taxi Tas 587 5900
spider haven’t gotten as change their gaze while volved with the study, said Prof. Taxi 588 0035
much attention so it wasn’t they hunt, Shamble said. he’s doubtful that the spi- _________________________________215577 Taxi D.T.S. 587 2300
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known if they got the same Plus, the young spiders ders can really experience A1 Taxi Serv. 280 2828
kind of sleep, said Roessler, have a see-through outer REM sleep. Women in Difficulties
an evolutionary biologist at layer that gives a clear “There may be animals TRAVEL INFO
the University of Konstanz in window into their bodies. that have activity in quiet
Germany. “Sometimes as a biologist, states,” said Siegel, of the Aruba Airport 524 2424
Their findings were pub- you just get really, really UCLA Center for Sleep Re- American Airlines 582 2700
lished Monday in the jour- lucky,” Shamble said. search. Avianca 588 0059
nal Proceedings of the The researchers still have to “But are they REM sleep? Jet Blue 588 2244
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National Academy of Sci- figure out if the spiders are It’s hard to imagine that
ences. technically sleeping while they could be the same Women in Difficulties
Roessler and her team dug they’re in these resting thing.”q AID FOUNDATIONS
into the sleep question states, Roessler said. That FAVI- Visually Impaired
after she discovered the includes testing whether Tel. 582 5051
spiders hanging at night they respond more slowly Alcoholics Anonymous
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“It was just the most un- Tel. 582 4433
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Roessler said of the sus- Women in Difficulties
pended spiders. General Info
The research showed the Phone Directory Tel. 118
spiders’ overnight move-
ments looked a lot like REM
in other species, she said
like dogs or cats twitch-
ing in their sleep. And they
happened in regular cy-
cles, similar to sleep pat-
terns in humans.
Many species similar to spi-
ders actually don’t have
movable eyes, which
makes it hard to com- facebook.com/arubatoday/