Some researchers have suggested that our 24-hour sleep/wake cycle may partially be a response to a world where the sun rises and sets on a 24-hour cycle.Imagine that the earth is gradually slowing down,and in 10,000 years the sun rises and sets on a 26-hour cycle instead.If you came to this future world you might expect that people would tend to
A) follow the old cycle and still fall asleep once every 24 hours.
B) show no consistent wake-sleep cycle.
C) develop an even shorter 22-hour sleep/wake cycle.
D) follow the extended cycle set by the sun and fall asleep once every 26 hours.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Our sleep/wake cycle is partially influenced by the 24-hour cycle of the sun. If the sun were to rise and set on a 26-hour cycle, we would likely adapt to this new cycle over time and follow the extended cycle set by the sun, thus falling asleep once every 26 hours. Option A would not be feasible as our sleep/wake cycle is dependent on environmental cues like sunlight. Option B is unlikely as humans have an innate circadian rhythm that would still be present even in a world with a different length day. Option C is unlikely as there is no reason to assume that humans would develop a shorter sleep/wake cycle in response to a longer day.

Some Researchers Have Suggested That Our 24-Hour Sleep/wake Cycle May