Study Proves People Don't Like Doing Things Alone

Have you ever wondered why we're always told that two is better than one? Why dancing is more fun when you have partner to get down with? Well, contemplate those deep thoughts no longer; the plain-tailed wren of Ecuador are about to answer your burning questions.

In case you were unaware, the plain-tailed wren are well-known for having lovely singing voices, and for the lovely duets the male and female birds coo in unison. As we learned from HowAboutWe today, the "wrens sing their individual parts in such quick succession, that it is almost indistinguishable from a solo song."

Neuroscientist Eric Fortune studied the wrens and found that "neurons reacted more strongly" when they sang duets than when they sang alone. Makes sense, yes? Isn't karaoke far more fun when you're screaming along with a bestie or BF? Further research found that the brains of the wrens responded stronger to the duets than to any other sound. 

So what, you're thinking? A bunch of birds singing in unison doesn't prove anything about the human experience. Well, Fortune says, our brains aren't so different from the wrens: "The neurotransmitter systems that control brain activity at the molecular level are nearly identical among all vertebrates and the layout of the brain structures is the same. Thus, the kinds of phenomena that we have described in these wrens is very relevant to the brains of most, if not all, vertebrate species, including us humans." So there you have it.

Being Angry Single Blogger and all, I was tempted to argue this theory and claim I was far happier being alone, but then I thought long and hard about it. Although I am quite content kickin' it around town solo style, it is nice to have a buddy who's got your back and is darling enough to tell you, "Why yes, you do have a remarkable singing voice." When you actually don't.

Because that's love.  

Do you like doing things by yourself or with your partner? It probably depends. What does it depend on?