E-Mail IMAGE: The Wilson's warbler was one of the birds whose songs were recorded for the phantom chorus that improved hikers' sense of well-being. view more Credit: Dave Keeling If you thought your morning hike was contributing to your wellbeing, a new study shows that you're right, especially if our avian friends were singing while you strolled. A growing body of research shows that time spent in nature contributes to human mental health. Although many studies have found that humans benefit from spending time in nature, few studies have explored why. A research team at California Polytechnic State University investigated how much the natural sounds humans hear during their time in the great outdoors contribute to this sense of well-being. The study was published in