JOURNAL ARTICLE

Jellyfish sleep a lot like us—and for the same reasons: Study adds to evidence that sleep likely evolved among ancient animals as a means of repairing neurons.

  • Published In: Sciencemag.org, 2026. P. N.PAG 1 of 3

  • Database: Applied Science & Technology Source Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Tamisiea, Jack 3 of 3

Abstract

The article discusses research indicating that sleep likely evolved among ancient animals, such as jellyfish and sea anemones, as a mechanism for neuronal repair, despite these organisms lacking a central nervous system. The study observed sleep patterns in the starlet sea anemone (Nematostella vectensis) and the upside-down jellyfish (Cassiopea andromeda), revealing that both species exhibit sleep-like behaviors and maintain sleep cycles driven by their circadian clocks. The findings suggest that sleep serves a critical function in cellular maintenance, similar to its role in more complex animals, and highlight the evolutionary significance of sleep in early animal life. [Extracted from the article]

Additional Information

  • Source:Sciencemag.org. 2026/01, pN.PAG
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Biology
  • Publication Date:2026
  • Accession Number:190772175
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