Source: Fortune
Summary
Researchers studied the laughter of great apes and humans, finding that they share similar rhythms and timing. The study, published in Communications Biology, analyzed recordings of 13 captive apes and 4 young children being tickled. The findings suggest that humans and great apes have been laughing in similar ways for 15 million years. Laughter communicates a playful, happy feeling without using words, and humans have become “masters of laughter” with more complex and context-dependent laughter.
Our Reading
The numbers tell one story. Researchers tickled apes to study laughter, and the results show a common thread with human giggles. The study’s findings make sense, but also raise questions about what makes human laughter unique. The research highlights the importance of studying the origins of laughter to understand human communication.
Original observation: The laughter of humans and great apes is a universal language that transcends words.
Author: Evan Null
