Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Why some animals have evolved a sense of humour
Humor is the quality that makes something or some act funny or amusing,
which is often expressed through laughter. It arises when something is done
differently from what is expected or normal. Humor comes in from body action, wordplay,
or awkward movement. As humor can strengthen social bonds, defuse tension, or
cope with difficult emotions, it plays a significant role in social
interactions. Humor has been thought of as a distinctly human emotion, but studies
and observations found that some animals show similar behaviors to each other.
For example, great apes like orangutans, chimps, and gorillas show certain teasing
behaviors, such as poking, hitting, and body slamming. Also, dolphins are found
to produce sounds of joy and elephants trumpet when they are playing with
others. Some parrots even tease other animals for fun by whistling at and
confusing them. It is still unclear if such acts should be considered humor as
we humans do, but some animals seem to show their emotions in response to certain
teasing or playful acts by others.
Read the article and think if animals use humor to enhance bonds with
others.
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