Humans are wired to pick up on each other's emotion, making laughter contagious

Teaching a robot to laugh

Researchers have designed a shared-laughter AI system that responds to human laughter in order to build a sense of empathy into dialogue. Learn how they did it with this explainer.

Fear (and stress) can be contagious via pheromones secreted by the body

While seeing someone else in a panicked state may induce a stress response, researchers have found stress can be literally contagious—chemicals contained in sweat and other secretions can trigger stress hormone release in others. Theories suggest this feature is an evolutionary adaptation to protect groups from danger.

The adorable happiness of animals, in photos

Can animals experience happiness? And even if they do, do their bodies manifest happiness in similar ways to humans? Regardless, you surely will derive some happiness after viewing these thirty photos of a variety of animals appearing to smile big, beautiful smiles.

The hormone that spreads love and helps fish share fear

Scientists consider emotions like fear and empathy to be among the oldest evolutionary behaviors observed in mammals. Yet to date, how these reactions are processed in the brain, regardless of species, is not well understood. A new study reveals how the chemical oxytocin—known as the "love hormone" in humans—helps let fish know when their friends are in danger.

Nine different studies exploring animals' relationship to music

Researchers have conducted multiple studies attempting to answer a certain question: do animals like human music? Across species, they observed different results and no clear pattern. Primates appear to prefer silence, and cockatoos appear to dance to funky beats.

The origins of World Laughter Day

Every first Sunday of May worldwide, World Laughter Day is observed, where people gather in public places and laugh. Dr. Madan Kataria developed the ritual based on the facial feedback hypothesis, which posits our facial expressions can affect our mood. The day, first started in 1998 in India, has grown exponentially in recent years. Meet the chortler-in-chief here.

Forcing a smile can actually make you feel slightly better

Activating your smile muscles—in this case, with electrical muscle stimulation that forces the corners of the mouth upward—makes people feel more positive, according to recent research. It won't cure depression, but it can have a small effect. Earlier faux smile research using different nonelectrical techniques had similar results, collectively suggesting that a smile may help brighten your day—even though the mechanisms for the happier result remain unclear.

The science behind why some noises have color names

Different noise colors (white, brown, pink, blue) have been proven to affect mood and focus. An audiologist explains that these sounds are named after specific light wave frequencies. While individual preferences vary, certain noises consistently impact sleep, stress reduction, cognitive performance, and problem-solving. The article highlights how these sounds can enhance productivity, relaxation, and even gaming experiences.

What rodent cars can tell us about human joy

Neuroscientist Kelly Lambert and her colleagues taught rats to drive in a mini car. She writes her findings from this unconventional experiment, sharing that positive and fun experiences can sculpt the brain just as powerfully as stressful ones. Click to learn more about how the apparent joy of these rodents seemed to enhance their neuroplasticity.

A research lab in Colorado believes comedy is based on ‘benign-violation’

The University of Colorado at Boulder’s Humor Research Lab (which has the decidedly funny abbreviation “HURL”) posits that comedy thrives on relatively harmless violations of dignity or norms.

Emotional crying is an important and cathartic process

Though babies don't initially produce tears when they cry, this podcast discusses how humans are hardwired to cry throughout life. Most crying research relies on self-reporting of crying and emotions. This podcast notes that there aren't neuroimaging studies of crying—they're quite expensive to complete. As a result, the brain precursors and processes during a bout of crying remain understudied.

Eight ways literature can make us happier

Novels are often characterized as a form of cultural escape, but psychologists argue there are health benefits to the many elements comprising fiction. The Greek philosopher Aristotle explored this in his "Poetics," asking if literature was something meant to make us happier. This article highlights eight different innovations common to literature that provide psychological benefits, including the plot twist and more.

Why the human brain loves opioids

When opioids enter the brain, they dock in receptors, blocking electrical pulses such as those that communicate pain. They also trigger the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter tied to motivation and associated with stress relief.

Yawning helps regulate heat in and around the skull

All vertebrates, including solitary animals, exhibit yawning behavior, and, despite long-standing beliefs, studies show no correlation between yawning and oxygen levels. Contagious yawning may enhance group coordination and vigilance in animals and involves advanced social cognitive mechanisms.

Following the scandals, CBS briefly banned canned laughter

The network was looking to correct the public perception that its programming was fraudulent, so it banned laugh tracks and fake applause from its broadcasts. The policy didn’t last long; within a few years, sitcoms were regularly “sweetened” with the sound effects.

Listen to how the gut microbiome influences your emotions

The gut-microbiome connection may involve the enteric nervous system, a collection of hundreds of millions of neurons throughout the gut that transmit signals up the vagus nerve to the brain.

Generally, NBA basketball teams whose players touch each other more win more games

This 2010 research finding underscores the importance of touch in promoting trust, bonding, and cooperation, thereby apparently improving team success. Touch also promotes cooperation in other settings: In a separate "prisoner's dilemma" study, when the experimenter gently touched some participants with a quick pat on the back, the touched individuals were more likely to cooperate and share with their partner.

Humans likely cannot tickle themselves because there's no element of surprise

Unraveling the neural mechanisms of tickling—formally called gargalesis—is an area of active research, but a leading theory about why we can't tickle ourselves is that the brain's somatosensory cortex processes self-touch differently than it does external touch. The cerebellum already anticipated what was going to happen when you move your hand for self-touch, limiting the effectiveness of a self-tickle.

Language is evolution's great mystery

What we call language is something more specific than communication. Language is about sharing what’s in our minds: stories, opinions, questions, the past or future, imagined times or places, ideas. So what does language mean for humanity, and how did we come to have it? Watch this brief video to discover more.

Learn how your body is, scientifically, like a firework with its own slow, controlled burn

This NPR video makes clear that there are surprising similarities between how our bodies and fireworks function. Fireworks and our bodies are both packed with carbon atoms, and have controlled releases of energy that create heat—keeping the human body warm or fueling fireworks' heat, respectively. What's more, the human body even emits a tiny bit of light somewhat similar to fireworks—though it's not visible to the human eye.

Squeaky toys mimic prey sounds, appealing to dogs' hunting instincts

Squeaky toys provide instant feedback and gratification, and they can also prevent boredom and improve canine dental health. Some toys contain seemingly silent squeakers that use ultrasonic technology to emit sounds only audible to dogs.

There are 5 key reasons why people carry out hoaxes

While it's hard to pinpoint just one motive for trickery, many cases indicate that hoaxers are seeking attention. Other reasons include making a profit, or simply that fooling others is fun.

Research shows that, on average, humans correctly spot liars about half of the time

Polygraph tests, also known as lie detectors, are better at detecting lies than people, but they still aren't allowed in most courtrooms. That's in part because of mixed signals. For example, spikes in heart rate can be explained by the stress a person feels during interrogation rather than by their own deception. As a result, polygraph tests are prone to false accusations. Results are also unreliable when participants actually believe their lies, examiners have biases, and tricks are employed to help test-takers relax.

Explore an interactive map built from more than 100,000 survey responses on where people find joy in their lives

How memes create in-groups

Memes can hop offline, inspiring IRL events ranging from planking to shootings. By nature, memes contribute to the formation of in-groups, ones who are privy to meanings that escape content moderators who don't necessarily recognize what's hidden within layers of references.

Landmark study pinpoints what makes a good relationship

Whether you’re finding a potential partner by swiping right on an app, or thumbing through stacks of biodata a la Netflix’s “Indian Matchmaking,” there may be some wisdom for you in the researchers’ findings.

Fish populations in the Great Barrier Reef have increased after installing waterproof speakers on the ocean floor that played recordings of sounds from healthy coral reefs.

Watch how viruses like Ebola can spill over from animals to humans—and vice-versa.

Studies suggest when you sleep is as important as how much you get, and syncing with your circadian rhythms may lead to less fatigue and improved long-term health outcomes

Fireworks make a loud booming sound after exploding due to air expanding faster than the speed of sound.

Larger animals like giraffes, elephants, and blue whales have developed a unique defense against cancer, a phenomenon known as Peto's Paradox

Crows are believed to have intelligence on par with a seven-year-old child and demonstrate complex behaviors, from problem-solving with tools to recognizing human faces.

This site reaches millions of visitors who are tired of AI chatbots and seeking human connection. Pretend to be an AI chatbot and ask questions, provide answers, and draw for people in real time.

Clever Hans was a 1900s horse that was believed to be able to solve math equations, tell time, and read and comprehend German, until a psychology student discovered how he got his answers.

Planeterrellas create artificial auroras that mimic the atmospheric displays of light by setting up an electric field between two metal balls in a jar filled with a small amount of air.

Hookworm infection, though risky, may help fight certain autoimmune conditions by tamping down the immune system's inflammatory response.

Fear or disgust related to clusters of holes and cracks, called trypophobia, may stem from evolutionary processes to help us avoid pathogens.

Memecoins are a type of cryptocurrency—a form of digital currency with a wide variety of uses—created around popular 'memes,' or viral internet jokes.

Some Pokémon have been named after real and fictional organisms, while some real-world species have been named after Pokémon, such as Chilicola charizard and Binburrum zapdos.

The word 'jazz' evolved from 'jasm,' 19th-century American slang for 'energy'

As of 2025, the most cited papers in science include a review of graphene, methods to improve image recognition, streamlining electron density calculations, and optimizing protein studies.

Fast-casual restaurant Chili's is experiencing a resurgence, with its parent company recently reporting a nearly 32% increase in sales, thanks to passionate Gen Z fans on TikTok.

Existentialist writer Jean-Paul Sartre coined the famous phrase 'Hell is—other people' in his play 'No Exit'

Explore chaos in this simulation of two double pendulums, where small differences in the release angles produce wildly different outcomes.

Pure water does not conduct electricity because this flow of energy requires the movement of charged particles, and water is a neutral molecule.

When a Paris department store hesitated to sell Estée Lauder's perfume, she 'accidentally' broke a bottle, causing the smell to spread throughout the store and shoppers to start asking to buy the scent.

In 1939, baseball star Lou Gehrig delivered his inspirational 'Luckiest Man' speech after retiring due to the health condition that now bears his name.

While El Niño moves warm Pacific Ocean waters east along the equator, La Niña moves them west, shifting where rainfall will become more common for months.

Walt Disney's early film 'Alice's Wonderland' was a groundbreaking innovation in the silent film era

Hear 50 years of iconic hip-hop samples, the genre's foundational looped tracks