Jimmy Carr and the Science of Laughter

BBC Earth, Channel 184, 21:31

Have you ever wondered why we laugh? Probably not. It’s one of those things that if we understood it may not be funny any more — like having to explain a joke to someone. Still, British comedian Jimmy Carr, notable for his deadpan delivery, hosted a special for BBC’s Horizon last year with a few guest scientists in an attempt to explain why we laugh and what makes things funny. The one claim that caught my eye is the one that laughter is older than our species and may have contributed to our humanity. Interesting stuff.