If you tickle a rat's belly, it squeals with laughter. However, we are unable to perceive this laughter as its frequency, around 50 kHz, exceeds the range of human hearing. Neuroscientist Jaak ...

Laughter transcends all languages -- and now scientists know this spontaneous response is universal across some primate species, too. The laughing patterns of human infants match those of great apes, ...

‘LAUGHTER’ is a word, we are told by the philologists, that is a distant cousin of the Greek κλωσσϵιυ, ‘to cluck like a hen,’ and also of κρáζϵιυ, ‘to croak.’ But we need not go any further than our ...

Russell has a PhD in the history of medicine, violence, and colonialism. His research has explored topics including ethics, science governance, and medical involvement in violent contexts. Russell has ...

Everyone fakes a laugh once in a while – whether it's smarmy politicians, cheesy gameshow hosts or the suckup at work. But is that pseudo snickering really fooling anyone? Turns out it can, but not ...

Leslie Katz led a team that explored the intersection of tech and culture, plus all manner of awe-inspiring science, from space to AI and archaeology. When she's not smithing words, she's probably ...

Since at least the time of inquiring minds like Plato, philosophers and scientists have puzzled over the question, “What’s so funny?” The Greeks attributed the source of humor to feeling superior at ...