OK, humans have thrived on Earth with its 24 hour day. If a day lasted 48 hours instead, would humans adapt?

Question

Could we adapt and thrive with a 48 hour day?

Answer 1

Not only us but all species would have evolved to suit the longer day.

Answer 2

We sure could. I would love to have a 48 hr. day, since I can't seem to get everything done in 24 hrs. I love to stay up late and hate to get up early, therefore by the time I get up the day is half over. I could use the extra time. But actually, you wouldn't really have more time because you'd have to sleep and get rest. Maybe eventually you could get used to the extra hours, but our bodies would wear out a lot quicker. If we want to die at an earlier age then 48 hrs. in a day would help us do this. I think there should only be 20 hrs. in a day. This would give us less time to work and a little more time to rest. But you can't change the hours in a day so the only alternative is for the workplace to shorten the hours you work from 8 to 6. People would have more energy, more mental capabilities and therefore be more productive in their jobs.

Answer 3

Actually that would probably be fairly easy--a day of around 48 hours could simply be split- in two-for work/sleep/etc. purposes.

I think we'd have a harder time adapting to a day with a length of 30 or 36 hours. Much harder to work around that, if you think about it. But could we adapt, if the planet were otherwise liveable. I'd bet on it.

Answer 4

I bear in mind interpreting approximately how the fee of the earth has slowed critically in the previous thousands and thousands of years. i could discover the source (in case you pick it), even though it pronounced that the day of the earth grew to become into basically approximately 23 hours long sixty 5 million years in the past. We lose a fragment of a fragment of a 2d each and every day because of the fact of tidal-motions and atmospheric drag or some such. i assumed it grew to become into fantastically exciting. EDIT: AHA! stumble on mag: "...Tidal friction from the sunlight and moon slows our planet and will boost the size of an afternoon by potential of three milliseconds consistent with century. this means that for the duration of the time of the dinosaurs, the day grew to become into basically 23 hours long."

Answer 5

well im not certain, but i think that humans would adapt and get used to sleeping 24 hours and waking up with enough energy for a 24 hour daytime.

Answer 6

Make sure you watch "Planet Earth" Sunday on the Discovery channel. They are airing all past episodes and 2 new ones.

Answer 7

Sure we could. Some people now live north of the arctic circle where there can be many weeks of continuous daylight in summer and many weeks of continuous darkness in winter, and they manage OK.

Answer 8

quite so. during the millions of years of evolution we would adapt as all other animals would have

Answer 9

:S
So I will be 25, but will look like 50? lol

Good question though, try asking it on the health section, because I'm not so sure our body will allow us to do that just like that.

Answer 10

try living in Alaska, people seem to be doing just fine.