Humor

Why Do We Laugh? Facts You Probably Didn’t Know

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It’s always fun to share a peal of laughter. Well, why wouldn’t anyone? Laughing not only helps connect us to other people but has numerous health benefits too. Laughter lightens our burdens, inspires hope, connects us to others, keeps us focused, and heals us. However, an interesting fact is that researchers do not fully understand which aspects of a joke or situation make people laugh.

Likewise, there are more interesting facts about laughter that may surprise you.

Humans are not the only ones who laugh

Human’s laughs are loud enough to acknowledge. In contrast to that, most animals have inaudible laughs. Interesting research in England found that Chimpanzees laugh almost all the time when they come across physical touches. Moreover when they are wrestling, tickling, and cuddling. The same goes with gorillas and bonobos too. In addition to that, birds, dogs, rats, dolphins, and 65 other animals can laugh according to science.

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It doesn’t help lose weight

As said before, it has numerous health benefits but doesn’t help losing weight. Sorry but that’s a myth. It only ascends a person’s energy, alertness, and heart rate by about 10 to 20 percent. It will cut off the calorie of one bag of chips only if you laugh for 3 hours straight.

Laughter has nothing to do with humor

Whenever we think about laughter, humor comes along. But did you know that laughter actually has nothing to do with humor? Robert Provine, a neuroscientist from the University of Maryland, says that we’re 30 times more likely to laugh at something when we are talking to the person we know already. Our laughter is more likely to surface among our dearest mates. The content may not be that funny but somehow that factor works for laughter. Sometimes we laugh just to connect with other people or to hide our awkwardness.

Universal language

No matter how differently we greet each other or say thank you around the world. What remains the universal language all around the world is laughter. The sound of laughter is the same in every corner of the world. Researchers even claim that laughter could be the first gesture of communication when two ancestors met.

What makes us laugh?

Laughter definitely is a social function. We laugh 30 times more when we are in a group. Likewise, we laugh more when we consider the person funny. The same goes with our favorite comedian as well. Interestingly, we tend to laugh when anyone affronts someone whom we don’t like. As it induces the feeling of superiority. Likewise, there are other few reasons that make us laugh uncontrollably.

Why do we laugh? Facts You Probably Didn't Know
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