• Question: Why do we laugh? Why are we ticklish?

    Asked by dognut99 to Ed, Hayley, Jason, Nathan, Sophie on 14 Mar 2013. This question was also asked by paul123456789.
    • Photo: Sophie Holles

      Sophie Holles answered on 14 Mar 2013:


      Laughing is a very strange phenomenon! You release a hormone that makes you feel happy when you laugh. When you’re happy your immune system is healthier. I think its a social bonding thing. Tickling is a bit similar to grooming and playing behaviour in monkeys so those are probably the functions it evolved from. It makes sense that your body would evolve ways to keep you closely linked with friends and family because when groups work together they can survive better.

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