Chasmology is the scientific study of yawning. Though its official history started only recently, its unofficial history stretches back to antiquity. This chapter outlines the history and current state of chasmology, through textual research and analysis, and offers a vision of its future. Particular emphasis is placed upon the author's favorite theory: the hidden sexuality of the human yawn. The 'First Law of Chasmology' states that a yawn occurs: (1) if the yawner cannot do what he would like to do, or (2) if the yawner must do something that he would rather not do. The 'Second Law of Chasmology', which is a special instance of the more general First Law, states that the yawn has an erotic and even a sexual aspect. A critical mass of proof for the validity of this Second Law is derived from various sciences and disciplines, ranging from theology and (the history of) art to ethology and pharmacology. The process of evidencing the Second Law has also established chasmology as an emerging science, i.e. a science that uses the data and information of primary sciences to make a synthesis that transforms and transcends the original scope and results of the auxiliary disciplines. The Second Law allows at least two concrete predictions about future corroborations or refutations in chasmological research.
Conclusion: Chasmology has a bright future and may yield some surprising results in the near future.
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