Humans and apes have shared a laugh for 15 million years, says study

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A study finds that great apes laugh similarly to humans, suggesting a common ancestor from 15 million years ago. This laughter may provide insights into the evolution of human speech.

A new study suggests that Great Apes laugh in a similar way to humans. Researchers analysed old recordings of a variety of apes and found that their laughter shared some common characteristics to that of their human relatives, meaning apes may have had a distant ancestor that laughed 15 million years ago. Scientists also say the laughter of apes also provides a clue to the evolution of human speech.