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Morning Start: Laughter is mostly a social response, rather than a reaction to a joke

Your morning start for Thursday, June 24, 2021
25606971_web1_210624-KCN-Morning-Start_1
(Pixabay photo)

Good morning and happy Thursday! The heatwave continues, with today’s high being 30 C. And don’t expect temperatures to cool down anytime soon — the heat is expected to climb to 39 C by Sunday.

Fun fact: Laughter is mostly a social response, rather than a reaction to a joke

According to American neuroscientist Robert Provine, only 10 to 15 per cent of laughter is the result of someone making a joke. Instead, Provine said that laughter is mainly a social response.

“Laughter above all else is a social thing,” he said. “The requirement for laughter is another person.”

He also notes that no matter the culture or language group, we all laugh “ha-ha-ha” the same way — each “ha” is about one-15th of a second that’s repeated every fifth of a second.

“Whether you speak Mandarin, French or English, everyone will understand laughter … There’s a pattern generator in our brain that produces this sound,” he said.

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In case you missed it:

A trio of singers hopes to lighten hearts and bring smiles to faces as many continue to stay indoors as the pandemic continues this summer.

Voix du Coeur — Voices of the Heart — came about after two Opera Kelowna singers wanted to keep singing and bring joy to seniors who were stuck in retirement facilities at the height of the pandemic.

Jay Laflamme participated in Opera Kelowna’s Sidewalk Serenades. After the program ended in the fall, Laflamme said she kept getting requests for her to come and sing to the residents from outside.

Read the full story here.

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That’s all for today. Everyone, have a great day!


@aaron_hemens
aaron.hemens@kelownacapnews.com

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