Zou

Zou embarks on a school project to research yawns, yet discovers that nobody feels sleepy and yawns are thin on the ground. When he finally spots a yawn, he finds that the act is contagious, spreading to those around him.

Zou the Scientist is a programme delivered as a self‑contained episode, charting the adventures of its lead, Zou, as he tackles a range of scientific questions. In this instalment the focus lands on a seemingly simple bodily reflex—yawning—examined through the requirements of a school assignment. For his project, Zou sets out to investigate yawns, expecting to observe them in abundance. However, he quickly discovers that nobody around him feels tired, leaving yawns scarce and difficult to locate. The lack of visible yawning makes his research feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. Eventually, Zou does manage to spot a genuine yawn. As he watches, he notes the immediate reaction it provokes in those nearby, noticing that the act appears to spread from one person to another. This observation leads him to the realisation that yawning behaves in a contagious manner, passing from individual to individual. The episode wraps up with Zou acknowledging the contagious nature of yawns as the key finding of his school project. His experience highlights how a seemingly trivial bodily response can ripple through a group, turning an ordinary moment into a shared, involuntary event. The conclusion reinforces the simple yet intriguing result of his investigation.