In a movie theater, when Rose let go of Jack, I remember vividly how everyone in the audience was sobbing quietly or uncontrollably.
Until my psychology class, I assumed this was because everyone was depressed that neither of the star-crossed lovers had the sense to alternate on the big floating door. A recent discovery in neuroscience called mirror neurons says otherwise.
In English major terms, mirror neurons are the things that help us to connect, imitate, understand and empathize with each other. They are the reason we cry in theaters, curse in sports arenas, sing along to our favorite songs, become carbon copies with our closest friends and it is likely they are the reason pornography and Pat Robertson are so successful.
Under accidental observation during the late 80s and early 90s, mirror neurons were discovered by three scientists, Giacomo Rizzolatti, Leonardo Fogassi and Vittorio Gallese.
After studying the measurements of a monkey’s neurons based on actions in which the monkey grabbed fruit, Rizzolatti noticed the monkey’s neurons fired just the same when Fogassi reached for a banana. Monkey see, monkey do.
If mirror neurons help us do all these things, what about those other animals that just can’t learn new tricks? Scientists believe that during an influential part of our evolution, human beings’ mirror neurons evolved at a much faster rate than any other species.
Only primates and some birds have been recognized for having them, but neither have mirror neurons as advanced as our own.
With the help of mirror neurons, our language grows with us. This is no surprise to those who know that mirror neurons are located in the inferior frontal cortex close to Broca’s area, which is a language region of the brain. As our mirror neurons fire rapidly, we speak not only with our words but our hands, our body language and actions.
Scientists are beginning to believe mirror neurons help us to understand interests and goals as well.
Once this theory is proved, some good old-fashioned American blame can be placed on the reason why a little more than half of America gave Bush a second term.

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