14 DAY TRIAL // As it turns out, being a scientist is not all about researching black holes or some oddly shaped geological formation at the bottom of the ocean. On the contrary, it sometimes happens that brainiacs turn their attention to mundane things such as yawning.
Thus, a team of researchers in the United States have recently discovered that, all things considered, yawning greatly benefits the brain, in the sense that it helps cool it whenever the inside of an individual's skull gets a tad too hot.
Experiments carried out in Vienna, Austria and Arizona in the United States have shown that, when outdoor temperatures revolve around 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 degrees Celsius), yawning is not as contagious as folk tales say it is.
What's more, it appears that yawning cannot be listed among all-together-now type of behaviors during winter time either, especially not when outdoor temperatures are close to freezing, the specialists who carried out this investigation claim.
It is believed that yawning fails to be contagious in intense heat or when outdoor temperatures are too low precisely because its purpose is that of helping maintain an optimum brain temperature, Science News tells us.
Thus, it does not really make sense to yawn when outside temperatures are similar to that of the body, and when the air is so cold that one might end up experiencing a fairly unpleasant and totally uncalled for brain-freeze, the same source details.
In case anyone was wondering, scientists believe that humans feel the need to regulate the temperature of their brain in order to boost mental efficiency and improve on their ability to respond to stimuli coming from their surrounding environment.
What's more, it is argued that, according to evidence at hand, it might be that yawning has come to be contagious specifically to ensure that not just one individual, but also an entire group remains vigilant and is well equipped to identify and handle potential threats.
This could be why yawning has been shown to be more contagious in the case of people who have a more developed ability to empathize and are, therefore, more likely to feel and act as if they were part of a well-put-together group.
Interestingly enough, word has it that, according to common belief, people and other animals first started yawning to help boost the amount of oxygen entering their body. However, specialists say that, for the time being, there is no scientific evidence to support this theory. Specifically, it appears that researchers are yet to prove that yawning ups blood oxygen levels.