Are they laughing at you or laughing with you? Your brain can tell the difference. Curious about how different types of laughter — mocking, joyful or ticklish — are understood, researchers led by Dirk ...

When is Natalie Portman's laughter not Natalie Portman's laughter? An Object Lesson. Aristotle called laughter an "ensouling mechanism," and the academic discipline of humor studies has built itself ...

Even in the hardest of times, laughter has a steadfast ability to bring people together. A new study reveals how laughter affects the brain, which may help to explain why having a giggle plays such an ...

Janet M. Gibson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. David DiSalvo writes about science, tech and culture. Intuitively we know that laughter is one of the best tools we have for ...

An unexpected giggle during tense moments isn't humor, but your brain's stress regulator. This nervous laughter, a coping mechanism, lowers cortisol and activates relaxation. It protects you by ...

Laughter is thought to have evolved as a form of social bonding in animals and as a way to express playful intention. Many mammals laugh when they are tickled and when they engage in physical play.