Introduction to Circadian Rhythms

The field of chronobiology, which focuses on the circadian rhythm, which is a rhythmic cycle of approximately 24 h, has undergone a significant transformation in our comprehension and practical implementation throughout the last five decades. We have transitioned from disputing the presence of an internal “clock” to identifying a significant genetic mutation in the human version of a gene found in fruit flies that controls the regularity of behaviour and pathology. Before, we only debated whether or not an endogenous “clock” actually existed. Obviously, such a burst in the body of known information does not occur de novo or by random coincidence. Who were the people who “equipped the brains of modern researchers for discovery” by making the observations, experiments, and realizations that came before them?