The Science of Laughter

BBC Inside Science

BBC

Technology, Science

4.5 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 30 January 2025

⏱️ 29 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Why do we laugh more when we’re with others? Are humans the only animals that laugh? Does ‘laughter yoga’ actually do anything? We're delving into the neurobiology, evolutionary history, and health effects of a good old chuckle.

Live from the Hay Festival Winter Weekend, Marnie Chesterton is joined by laughter expert and neuroscientist, Professor Sophie Scott, and an expert in making people laugh, comedian Miles Jupp, in this side-splitting panel show.

Presenter: Marnie Chesterton Producer: Ella Hubber Editor: Martin Smith Production Co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth 

To discover more fascinating science content, head to bbc.co.uk search for BBC Inside Science and follow the links to The Open University.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Before you listen to this BBC podcast, I want to tell you why I love podcasting.
0:04.7	Hi, my name's Tommy Dixon, and I make podcasts for the BBC.
0:08.4	I'm a big fan of stories, always loved a good book.
0:11.4	But when I started commuting for my first job, I discovered podcasts.
0:15.4	I was blown away by how a creative idea and the right mixture of sounds could take you into
0:19.2	a whole new world full of incredible stories. You know, the type that make you go, wow. And that kind of inspired me to
0:25.2	give it a go myself, which to cut a long story short led to a BBC training scheme and a whole
0:30.0	new career giving other people that exact same feeling. So if you want to hear amazing stories
0:34.2	that make you go wow like I did, they're just a tap or click away on BBC Sounds.
0:40.8	BBC Sounds Music, radio, podcasts.
0:45.1	Hello there and welcome. Thank you for downloading this podcast of BBC Inside Science with me,
0:50.2	Marnie Chesterton. We're recording this in front of an audience at Hay Festival's winter
0:54.2	weekend. Say hello audience. Now, the audience here today represent the pinnacle of culture and
1:02.2	sophistication. So, I'm running a little test past you. I have the scientifically tested
1:09.3	funniest joke ever. A couple of New Jersey hunters are out in the woods
1:15.3	when one of them falls to the ground. He doesn't seem to be breathing. His eyes are all back in his
1:20.8	head. His friend panics and pulls out his phone and phones the emergency service. He gasps to the operator,
1:27.9	my friend is dead.
1:29.3	What can I do?
1:30.7	The operator in a calm, soothing voice says,
1:34.7	just take it easy.
1:35.9	I can help.
	...

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