Spiders could have dreams and sleep like humans, scientists say

Study finds limbs twitching and leg curling behaviours in baby spiders resting at night

Scientists have found evidence of patterns similar to a dream-like state in spiders, an advance that sheds more light on the origin, evolution and function of the sleep cycle.

The study, published on Monday in the journal PNAS, observed jumping spider babies using special cameras and found that spiders’ limbs twitched, the retinas in their eyes moved and their legs curled when they were resting at night.

Researchers, including those from the University of Konstanz in Germany described this pattern as a “REM sleep-like state”.