In the late 1970's, UCLA Psychologist Gaylord Ellison performed a very interesting study on a group of rats. He put them into a rat community and allowed them to partake of alcohol, recreation and food in a manner similar to human communities. Within a few days, the rats started to act a lot like people.

The first similarity was the rat happy hour. They tended to gather at the alcohol dispensers before meals and have a drink or two as they socialized. The rats also often had an alcoholic drink before going to sleep.

Occasionally, however, the rats partied harder. The alcohol dispenser (or "bar") became a gathering place for all of the rats, and they drank more than usual. After such an occasion, the rats would refrain from drinking alcohol for a couple of days, during which time they would drink lots of water.

And you think you go to bars because your intelligent human mind intentionally decides to do so. Nah, you're just a party animal too.

Source: Newsweek, 5/17/78 p. 55.