Ever wonder if there was ever a time without laughter? New discoveries suggest that laughter is not a trait exclusively of humans, but originally of a different primate species.

Bonobos, or "Pygmy Chimpanzees", are primates, like us. They are also Great Apes, like us. Bonobos can also laugh, just like we do every day. Many of us think that humans are the only animals cabaple of laughing, and that we also invented it, but this is utterly wrong. Most likely, a primate similar to the Bonobo was the first to laugh. Humans laugh mainly when we exhale, but Bonobos, on the other hand, laugh when they both inhale and exhale, creating a non-stop laugh. Other studies have found that these Pygmy Chimpanzees have been found to laugh at rudimentary, childish human jokes. It has been recorded that a Chimpanzee once laughed hysterically when he gave a rock to his caretaker to eat.

Another instance is when one cracked up after peeing on his caretaker. These stimuli of laughter are very similar to human laughter, suggesting that our laughter is very similar to laughter of other species. Chimpanzees also have a similar expression when they laugh: an open-mouthed, relaxed smile. Adult Chimpanzees have also been found to enjoy laughing well into their adulthood. Another supporting point that laughter was not invented by humans is that laughter has the same purpose in all cultures, no matter how isolated they are. Laughter is also instinctive, as it is found in blind and deaf infants. So next time you laugh, some other Chimpanzee somewhere out there is laughing more hysterically than you.

曾经想知道是否有没有笑声的时候?新的发现表明笑声并不是人类的专利,而最初是灵长类的一个特征。

巴诺布猿(也称倭黑猩猩)像我们人类一样属于灵长类。它们也像我们人类一样也属于类人猿。巴诺布猿也能笑,就像我们每天一样。许多人认为人类是唯一能笑的动物,认为笑是人类的发明,但事实并非如此。类似于巴诺布猿的某种灵长类可能是最先发出笑声的动物。人类的笑声通常是在呼气时,而巴诺布猿则是在吸气和呼气时发出笑声的,这样就形成了连续不断的笑声。有研究发现倭黑猩猩也会对人类一些基本的、幼稚的笑话发笑。有资料记录一只黑猩猩曾经在给它的照顾者一块石头吃时歇斯底里地大笑。

另一个例子是一只黑猩猩在它的照顾者身上撒尿后捧腹大笑。这些发笑的刺激物与人类的发笑非常相似,表明我们的笑声与其他物种的的笑声很相似。黑猩猩在笑时也有类似的表情:张大嘴、放松笑。研究发现黑猩猩在步入成年时后也享受大笑。笑声在所有文化(不管文化是怎样的与世隔绝)中具有相同的用途也证明笑声并不是人类的发明。从失明和失聪的婴儿也会发笑可以看出笑是一种本能。所以下次你笑时,可能有黑猩猩在别处比你笑得更厉害呢!