D:        Another wonderful day at A Moment of Science! You know, Yaël, all these years working side by side has made me realize something: you’re my best friend.           

Y:        Well, thanks, Don, you’re my best friend too. We go together like peas in a pod. Or, like bottlenose dolphins in a team of two.

D:        I’m not quite sure I get the reference. Aren’t dolphins a very friendly species overall?

Y:        Well, yes and no. Let me put it this way: you’d call yourself social, wouldn’t you?

D:        Absolutely. I love being around other people.

Y:        To be specific, you have me as your best friend, and then there are other people you’re close to, and then some folks are your acquaintances, but you don’t know them very well. Would you say that’s correct?

D:        That seems right. Though I also interact with my family, and there are a few people whom I dislike, so I try to avoid them. And then sometimes I need to be alone.

Y:        See? You’re socializing just like a dolphin. Or, more precisely, a male bottlenose dolphin. These guys hang out with acquaintances and family, but they also spend a lot of time with their best friend. Adult male bottlenoses often bond in duos or trios. They forage together, look for mates together, and even play together.

D:        But do these companionships stand the test of time? After all, bottlenose dolphins can live for forty years or more.

Y:        I have good news for you: bottlenose best friendships often last for decades, if not life.

D:        I learn something new from you every day, Yaël. Maybe that’s one reason we’re such a good team.        

Y:        This Moment of Science comes from Indiana University.

D:        There are thousands more Moments of Science on our Web site at a-moment-of-science.org, where you can also view videos and sign up for podcasts.

            I'm Don Glass, and I’m Yaël Ksander.