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Published online 4 June 2009 | Nature | doi:10.1038/news.2009.541

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Human-ape links heard in laughter

Similarities between laughter of tickled apes and humans mirrors genetic ties between species.

Lucas Laursen

Human laughter is rooted in the emotional displays of the common ancestor we share with apes, suggests an analysis of the vocalizations of tickled juvenile apes and humans.

Human speech is unique among animals, but researchers have long debated how our laughter might relate to similar vocalizations made by other primates.

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  • Great job! =)but you should enlarge the range of your "test subjects"...

    • 06 Jun, 2009
    • Posted by: Adrian Rotariu

  • I was interested in Lucas Lauren?s report on how primates laugh. As important, however, is why they laugh: its evolutionary significance? Laughter clearly evolved for defusing aggression. It is submissive and is equivalent to rolling over in dogs, for example. Submission, then, is a form of communication, a language, and is important within social groups. Verbal language appears to have evolved for exploiting individuals within social groups. Contrary to the popular belief it is not for cooperation. Sociobiologically language is self interested. The exploited are protected by the exploiters. Social politics within groups will have lead to increased complexity of languages via an arms race. Laughter, then, may have given rise to language. It is well developed in juveniles and since humans have neotic characters language followed. The large cerebral capacity of hominids reflects the evolution of exploitation within social groups. Peter Gibson Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh

    • 16 Jun, 2009
    • Posted by: Peter Gibson