A recent study found that drunk fish can be quite persuasive—so persuasive, in fact, that they got sober fish to physically follow them around in the water.
Research showed that swimming in a high concentration of alcohol made zebrafish faster and bolder. But after the drunken zebrafish were dropped into alcohol-free water, more clearheaded fish were found to follow the inebriated ones around. In other words, drunk fish always end up becoming designated drivers.
“It is like [that the fish’s drunk behavior] is perceived as a boldness trait, thus imparting a high social status,” lead researcher Maurizio Porfiri, an associate professor at New York University Polytechnic Institute of Engineering, told Discover Magazine.
So even in schools of fish, straight edge guppies kowtow to the “cool” crowd.
More Must-Reads From TIME
- The 100 Most Influential People of 2024
- Coco Gauff Is Playing for Herself Now
- Scenes From Pro-Palestinian Encampments Across U.S. Universities
- 6 Compliments That Land Every Time
- If You're Dating Right Now , You're Brave: Column
- The AI That Could Heal a Divided Internet
- Fallout Is a Brilliant Model for the Future of Video Game Adaptations
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Contact us at letters@time.com