Body Clocks and Circadian Rhythms

In the modern world, we often feel that our daily lives are governed by the relentless ticking of a thousand clocks, all clamouring for their share of our precious time. But there’s another clock – an internal, biological one – which we never hear, but is nonetheless vital for keeping us alive, and in good health. This ‘body-clock’, finely tuned to the 24-hour cycle of day and night, determines when we sleep and when we wake, when we eat, and much more besides.

Scientists now believe that these ‘circadian rhythms’ are not unique to mankind, but are shared with many, and possibly all living organisms, given that the day-night cycle has been ever-present during the evolution of life on Earth. In this presentation, David Tordoff, of Wolverhampton U3A, discusses body clocks in plants, insects and birds, before moving on to look in detail at our own body clock, and how circadian rhythms affect so many facets of our daily lives.

To view the recording, click here… ‘Body Clocks’ video

To contact us about the Science & Technology group, click here… Get in touch