If you are able to step outside and hear many types of birds, you might also have a greater feeling of well-being. Two studies show that hearing diverse birdsongs may help increase our happiness. One study was done by researchers at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly, for short). A research team studied the effects of birdsong on people walking through a park in the U.S. state of Colorado. A biology graduate student, Danielle Ferraro, led the Cal Poly study. Ferraro says that there could an evolutionary reason why we like birdsong. “There could be, sort of, an evolutionary reason why we like birdsong so much. And the idea is that when we hear birdsong it could … signal safety to us.” There could be many other reasons too. Ferraro states that in some areas around the world birdsong can also signal the arrival of spring and nice weather. Bird diversity, she adds, can also mean a healthy environment. She explained her study to VOA. Ferraro and her team played recorded songs from a diverse group of birds native to the area. They did this on hiking trails in a park in Boulder, Colorado. Over several weeks, the researchers played recorded birdsong at certain times of the day and other times they did not. Then they talked with hikers after they passed by. Hikers who heard the recorded diverse birdsongs reported a greater sense of well-being than those who heard simply the natural birds. The researchers suggest that both the bird sounds and biodiversity can increase feelings of well-being.
Title: Can Birdsong Make You Happier?
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5044/B.wav' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='Can Birdsong Make You Happier?' data-article-id='5575'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='12125'>If you are able to step outside and hear many types of birds, you might also have a greater feeling of well-being.</span> <span data-start-time='12125' data-end-time='22958'>Two studies show that hearing diverse birdsongs may help increase our happiness.</span> <span data-start-time='22958' data-end-time='33875'>One study was done by researchers at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly, for short). </span> <span data-start-time='33875' data-end-time='45271'>A research team studied the effects of birdsong on people walking through a park in the U.S. state of Colorado.</span> <span data-start-time='45271' data-end-time='53458'>A biology graduate student, Danielle Ferraro, led the Cal Poly study. </span> <span data-start-time='53458' data-end-time='62292'>Ferraro says that there could an evolutionary reason why we like birdsong.</span> <span data-start-time='62292' data-end-time='67354'>“There could be, sort of, an evolutionary reason why we like birdsong so much. </span> <span data-start-time='67354' data-end-time='73396'>And the idea is that when we hear birdsong it could … signal safety to us.”</span> <span data-start-time='73396' data-end-time='74125'>There could be many other reasons too. </span> <span data-start-time='74125' data-end-time='89104'>Ferraro states that in some areas around the world birdsong can also signal the arrival of spring and nice weather. </span> <span data-start-time='89104' data-end-time='95792'>Bird diversity, she adds, can also mean a healthy environment.</span> <span data-start-time='95792' data-end-time='99625'>She explained her study to VOA. </span> <span data-start-time='99625' data-end-time='108583'>Ferraro and her team played recorded songs from a diverse group of birds native to the area.</span> <span data-start-time='108583' data-end-time='115208'>They did this on hiking trails in a park in Boulder, Colorado.</span> <span data-start-time='115208' data-end-time='126604'>Over several weeks, the researchers played recorded birdsong at certain times of the day and other times they did not. </span> <span data-start-time='126604' data-end-time='132167'>Then they talked with hikers after they passed by.</span> <span data-start-time='132167' data-end-time='145521'>Hikers who heard the recorded diverse birdsongs reported a greater sense of well-being than those who heard simply the natural birds. </span> <span data-start-time='145521' data-end-time='157375'>The researchers suggest that both the bird sounds and biodiversity can increase feelings of well-being.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5044/B.jpeg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=17293 data-hint-location='12125' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5044/what_does_the_word_diverse_mean.wav'>What does the word diverse mean?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='Made up of people or things that are different from each other'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5044/made_up_of_people_or_things_that_are_different_from_each_other.wav'><span>Made up of people or things that are different from each other</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5044/comprised_of_identical_or_otherwise_indistinguishable_parts.wav'><span>Comprised of identical or otherwise indistinguishable parts</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5044/having_two_sets_of_wing_feathers.wav'><span>Having two sets of wing feathers</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5044/evolving_stronger_beaks.wav'><span>Evolving stronger beaks</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=17294 data-hint-location='108583' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5044/where_did_the_study_take_place.wav'>Where did the study take place?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='On hiking trails in a park in Boulder, Colorado'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5044/on_hiking_trails_in_a_park_in_boulder_colorado.wav'><span>On hiking trails in a park in Boulder, Colorado</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5044/in_a_rainforest_cafe_in_los_angeles.wav'><span>In a Rainforest Cafe in Los Angeles</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5044/in_the_green_mountains_of_vermont.wav'><span>In the Green Mountains of Vermont</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5044/in_a_lab_in_washington_dc.wav'><span>In a lab in Washington, DC</span></div></div></div><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=17295 data-hint-location='89104' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5044/bird_diversity_she_adds_can_also_mean_a_healthy__blank_.wav'>Bird diversity, she adds, can also mean a healthy <span class='blank'>environment</span>.</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='environment'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5044/environment.wav'><span>environment</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5044/bone_structure.wav'><span>bone structure</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5044/appetite.wav'><span>appetite</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5044/size.wav'><span>size</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button class='skip-button'></button><button class='hint-button'></button><button class='speak-button'></button></div></div></div>
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