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laughter

·June 25, 2026·9 min read

Great Ape Laughter Reveals Clues to Human Speech Origins

A new study tracking 140 laughter sequences across humans and great apes reveals that all species share an identical 15-million-year-old rhythmic structure of evenly spaced vocal intervals, proving that human speech evolved from a long-standing evolutionary continuum of primate vocal control.

Featured Neuroscience

·June 23, 2026·8 min read

Awake Brain Probes Map Spontaneous vs. Fake Laughter

A new study analyzing awake brain stimulation data reveals that human laughter is driven by two separate networks: an ancient, emotional "spontaneous" circuit and a motor-driven "volitional" circuit that evolved alongside speech to regulate complex social conversations.

Featured Neuroscience

·May 25, 2026·8 min read

Laughter Rewires Brain Architecture and Lowers Cognitive Load

Can laughter and play do their most brilliant work at a molecular level to accelerate human learning? A new developmental study reveals that laughter is a complex biological phenomenon that fundamentally rewires early brain architecture.

Featured Neuroscience

·November 11, 2023·5 min read

Brain’s Laughter Circuit: Unraveling Humor’s Neural Pathways

Recent neuroimaging research has delineated the distinct brain processes involved in understanding and enjoying humor. The study demonstrates the involvement of the dorsal striatum (DS) in humor comprehension and the ventral striatum (VS) in humor appreciation.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·January 26, 2023·5 min read

A Laugh a Day Keeps the Doctor Away?

Laughter doesn't only help bring people together, it can be great therapy for those suffering from depression, researchers report.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·September 25, 2022·5 min read

Why Do We Laugh? New Study Considers Possible Evolutionary Reasons Behind This Very Human Behaviour

Researchers say laughter may have been preserved by natural selection to assist with human survival.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·November 29, 2020·5 min read

Laughing Is Good for Your Mind and Your Body, Here’s What the Research Shows

Researchers investigate how laughter improves both mental and physical well-being.

Featured Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·July 30, 2020·3 min read

Laughter Acts as a Stress Buffer, and Even Smiling Helps

Laughing and smiling more might help to buffer against the effects of stress, researchers report.

This shows a man and child on space hoppers

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·August 25, 2019·5 min read

The unbeatable lightness of being

Finding humor in life can help to improve happiness and reduce stress.

Autism Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·July 22, 2019·3 min read

Canned laughter works and makes ‘dad jokes’ funny

Canned laughter tracks increase how funny we find a joke and how much we laugh, even when the jokes are groan-worthy. Testing the hypothesis on both neurotypical people and those on the autism spectrum, researchers found the effect was universal.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·February 4, 2019·6 min read

Laughter May Be the Best Medicine…For Brain Surgery

Stimulating the cingulum bundle during neurosurgery where people are awake results in immediate laughter, followed by a sense of calm and happiness in patients, a new study reports.