Alison Motluk in New Scientist:
Some mutant flies can get by on 30% less sleep than their normal counterparts, thanks to a single mutation in one gene.
The finding is important because it suggests the amount of sleep needed may be largely controlled by one gene, which may shed light on human sleep needs, says Chiara Cirelli at the University of Wisconsin, US. “This isn’t some obscure fly gene – there’s a homologue in mammals and humans.”
More here.