Timely surprises: biological clocks sense light in obscure ways.(includes related article on biological clock components)

From: Science News | Date: July 11, 1998| Author: Travis, John | Copyright information

One new study on human biological clocks indicates that they can be reset by light shone on the skin. Another study found that response to light is dependent on proteins related to plant photoreceptors.

When a New Yorker jets off to Los Angeles or Tokyo, it takes just a few seconds to adjust a wristwatch to local time. But as sufferers of jet lag know all too well, the body's internal clock isn't nearly so quick to adapt. It usually takes a few days for a person's biological c...

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