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The evolution of laughter

Dave2lDave2l
in Not Sports Related
Random question...but does anyone know the 1st animal...to laugh?

"Laughter is the best medicine" - which, deep down, probably means it originated as a recovery process. The animal in question was just healing. 

Who knows, the 1st laughing reaction may have taken place over 10million years ago.

Apparently rats do a lot of laughing. I can't imagine a rat doing a stand up in Greenwich and a load of rats are in hysterics, but there you go.

A rat does laugh.

It's funny how laughter is and was a rather kind funny mistake 

Comments

  • SoundAsa£SoundAsa£
    A hyena I reckon.🙄
  • iainmentiainment
    Dave2l said:
    Random question...but does anyone know the 1st animal...to laugh?

    "Laughter is the best medicine" - which, deep down, probably means it originated as a recovery process. The animal in question was just healing. 

    Who knows, the 1st laughing reaction may have taken place over 10million years ago.

    Apparently rats do a lot of laughing. I can't imagine a rat doing a stand up in Greenwich and a load of rats are in hysterics, but there you go.

    A rat does laugh.

    It's funny how laughter is and was a rather kind funny mistake 
    Great question. I haven’t a clue but would be interested in how laughter started and evolved.
  • AlgarveaddickAlgarveaddick
    Laughter was invented on October 3rd 1885, in Glengall Road, Isle of Dogs when someone spotted a group of jam makers attempting to kick a pigs bladder around a patch of waste ground.  
  • seth plumseth plum
    Recent studies suggest around 65 species of animals ‘laugh’.

  • Dave2lDave2l
    seth plum said:
    Recent studies suggest around 65 species of animals ‘laugh’.


    I assume they are all mammals? 

    Mostly primates?
  • LincsaddickLincsaddick
    the grinning amoeba 
  • SuedeAdidasSuedeAdidas


    I rest my case. 
  • StigStig
    I wouldn't put too much significance to the 'laughter is the best medicine' phrase. Even though there's a lot of evidence that laughter makes us feel better, I think it’s more likely that the evolutionary driver behind its emergence is social bonding rather than any palliative effect it has. With that in mind, I'd think it would have evolved amongst social animals. I'm aware of other primates laughing, but I don’t know how more widespread it is. I'm sure cats and dogs can smile, but as amusing as that is, it's not quite laughter. 
  • WheresmeticketWheresmeticket
    Laughter is the best medicine. 

    Couple suffered multiple injuries in recent crash Local News thenewsenterprisecom

    So we are cutting off your morphine drip and will be showing you the best of Michael Macintyre.
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  • Dave RuddDave Rudd
    It started with a smirk.
  • Dave2lDave2l
    https://youtu.be/6GYrwQbmZ38

    It lead to this 
  • 24 Red24 Red
    edited April 2022
    As @Stig suggests, the evolutionary origin appears to be social bonding, which is why people laugh a lot less at funny things when on their own and why they often laugh at completely unfunny things when in a group, such as a team meeting at work where bonding and participating are high priorities.

    Comedians understand this and a lot of humour is designed to make the audience feel part of the comedian’s ‘in group’.
  • Dave RuddDave Rudd
    Presumably laughter is a verbal shortcut.  It says 'Yes, I'm with you' ... but without having to articulate that in words.

    If that's right, it may have evolved (or will evolve) in animal groups which communicate verbally.  Not sure that rats are there yet.

    But rat stand-up intrigues me.

    "Why did my great-great-great-great grandfather cross the road?  ... To transmit Bubonic plague."

    "Why were there no rats on the Titanic?  ... Seriously?"

    Yeah, OK.  Long way to go.
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