I was looking for an answer to this question on the tubes and I was amazed to discover an impressive set of completely crap answers to this question.

^{Photo by kayaker1204. Creative Common License.}

After a long search, the closest I could find to an answer is the following claim (by coincidence similar to my previous question)

Actually, the ancient Greeks noted the effects of visual flicker as early as 125 AD. They noticed that people often began to daydream or get sleepy when sitting around a flickering fire. This phenomenon is still true today. Since the flicker rate of fire light is rather slow, when you gaze in to a flickering fire, your brain activity tends to slow. This is why you might find yourself relaxing or even yawning around a kindling camp fire or a cozy fireplace.
—source

Question: Is this claim backed by real science?

Bonus Question: Is there any scientific explanation to why fires are mesmerizing?

I was looking for an answer to this question on the tubes and I was amazed to discover an impressive set of completely crap answers to this question.

^{Photo by kayaker1204. Creative Common License.}

After a long search, the closest I could find to an answer is the following claim (by coincidence similar to my previous question)

Actually, the ancient Greeks noted the effects of visual flicker as early as 125 AD. They noticed that people often began to daydream or get sleepy when sitting around a flickering fire. This phenomenon is still true today. Since the flicker rate of fire light is rather slow, when you gaze in to a flickering fire, your brain activity tends to slow. This is why you might find yourself relaxing or even yawning around a kindling camp fire or a cozy fireplace.
—source

Question: Is this claim backed by real science?

Bonus Question: Is there any scientific explanation to why fires are mesmerizing?

I was looking for an answer to this question on the tubes and I was amazed to discover an impressive set of completely crap answers to this question.

Mesmerizing http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4014/4315525145_7c958fedec.jpg
^{Photo by kayaker1204. Creative Common License.}

After a long search, the closest I could find to an answer is the following claim (by coincidence similar to my previous question)

Actually, the ancient Greeks noted the effects of visual flicker as early as 125 AD. They noticed that people often began to daydream or get sleepy when sitting around a flickering fire. This phenomenon is still true today. Since the flicker rate of fire light is rather slow, when you gaze in to a flickering fire, your brain activity tends to slow. This is why you might find yourself relaxing or even yawning around a kindling camp fire or a cozy fireplace.
—source

Question: Is this claim backed by real science?

Bonus Question: Is there any scientific explanation to why fires are mesmerizing?

I was looking for an answer to this question on the tubes and I was amazed to discover an impressive set of completely crap answers to this question.

^{Photo by kayaker1204. Creative Common License.}

After a long search, the closest I could find to an answer is the following claim (by coincidence similar to my previous question)

Actually, the ancient Greeks noted the effects of visual flicker as early as 125 AD. They noticed that people often began to daydream or get sleepy when sitting around a flickering fire. This phenomenon is still true today. Since the flicker rate of fire light is rather slow, when you gaze in to a flickering fire, your brain activity tends to slow. This is why you might find yourself relaxing or even yawning around a kindling camp fire or a cozy fireplace.
—source

Question: Is this claim backed by real science?

Bonus Question: Is there any scientific explanation to why fires are mesmerizing?