• Question: so i have noticed you are interested in social science, so i was wondering about something.....because i was on the bus today, and someone nearby yawned a-bit loudly, but i then had the uncontrollable urge to yawn aswell..........so does this mean yawning is contagious, ans if so why???

    Asked by BahBahScientificSheep to Sian on 18 Jun 2016.
    • Photo: Sian Thomas

      Sian Thomas answered on 18 Jun 2016:

      Great observation. It would seem that you are right – and that there are a couple of reasons why we yawn. Not because this is an area of my expertise – but because for things like this the Internet is a great source of https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yawn

Comments

  • Photo: TerBium

    TerBium commented on :

    Wikipedia is wrong

  • Photo: Sian

    Sian commented on :

    Sometimes Wikipedia is wrong. If you really think it is in this case you should be able to suggest a change and why – your correction may be included in future. And I guess that is a great thing about science – sometimes things we thought are right turn out not to be. And in relation to events like this – I am astounded by how much the scientists know. But of course, we try to answer all of the questions and some of our knowledge (particularly mine) was gathered over many many years!