Humans And Apes Have Laughed The Same Way For Millions of Years, Study Suggests

A new study suggests that human and great ape laughter share similar rhythmic patterns, indicating a common evolutionary origin dating back 15 million years. Researchers compared tickle-induced giggles from children and various ape species to identify these shared vocal traits.
Why it matters
Understanding the evolutionary roots of laughter provides insight into the development of social communication and emotional expression in primates.
Add ScienceAlert on Google (Fiona Rogers/Stone/Getty Images) NEW YORK (AP) – Humans and great apes have been giggling in similar ways since branching off the evolutionary tree, a new study suggests.
The content is a straightforward summary of scientific research published in a peer-reviewed journal.
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