Study Finds Human and Ape Laughter Follow Similar Rhythms

A study published Thursday in the journal Communications Biology found that human and great ape laughter share similar rhythms. Researchers examined recordings of 13 captive apes that had been tickled and compared them with new recordings of four young children being tickled at home.

The chuckles of both groups showed regular timing between laughs. Researchers said this pattern likely reflects a common ancestor dating back roughly 15 million years.

The new research reexamined older recordings of gorillas, orangutans, chimpanzees and bonobos. Scientists then captured fresh audio of the children during play and tickling sessions. Study author Chiara De Gregorio, a primatologist at the University of Warwick in England, said the findings indicate humans have been laughing in a similar way to other great apes for millions of years.

Laughter occurs in many animals but rarely follows the same patterns as human laughter. Rats, for example, respond to tickling with ultrasonic squeaks. Brittany Florkiewicz, who studies animal communication at Lyon College and was not involved in the research, said the results align with expectations and highlight the need for further recordings of other species.

The study notes that human laughter has become faster and more varied by context compared with ape laughter.