The longer the yawn, the bigger the brain

Yawning doesn't need be a sign of boredom. Rather, it appears to be a measure of brain size. Vertebrates with larger brains yawn longer, according to a study of more than one hundred species of mammals and birds. The findings ...

Orangutans yawn contagiously when they see others yawn

For the first time, contagious yawning has now also been found in a species that roams its territory mostly in solitude and is less frequently engaged in social interactions: the orangutan. Publication in Nature Scientific ...

Sea lions yawn due to anxiety

Researchers have analysed these animals for 14 months, concluding that the frequency of their yawns increases immediately after a social conflict among members of the group.

What is it about yawning?

You know the feeling. It's impossible to resist. You just need to yawn.

First study to show that birds and not just mammals copy yawns

Have you ever caught yourself yawning right after someone else did? The same happens to budgies, says Andrew Gallup of State University of New York in the US. His research team is the first to note that contagious yawning ...

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