Lots of little naps for penguin parents

Chinstrap penguins are the ultimate power nappers. While nesting, the birds nod off for an average of four seconds at a time. However, a recent study found that with thousands of “microsleeps” a day, the penguins can still manage to get nearly 11 hours of sleep. Chinstrap penguins often sit on their nests alone while their partners search for food. The birds may not sleep for long because they live in noisy, crowded colonies or because they have to watch out for predators. Mini-naps help them keep an almost constant eye on their young chicks. Parents whose eggs have not yet hatched stay more alert, taking the shortest naps. People can also take microsleeps. Typically, this happens when someone is not getting as much sleep as they need. For humans,…

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The Week Junior US (Digital) - 1 Issue, Issue 196

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