Time in a bottle

摘要

When spring approaches, many countries set their clocks forward by one hour. The following morning, we are reminded of the strong pull exerted by our own internal clock as we are forced to wake up one hour earlier than usual. Such minor disruption of sleep patterns can lead to fatigue and is associated with a rise in the incidence of certain heart disorders. These undesirable effects occur because our internal clock - which tracks the circadian (day-night) cycle - controls not only our sleep patterns but also many physiological processes that anticipate the rhythmic environmental changes tied to the Sun's rising and setting. In this issue, Solt et al.