A new study suggests that humans and great apes have laughed in similar ways since they shared a common ancestor millions of years ago. Researchers tickled 13 apes, including gorillas, orangutans, chimpanzees, and bonobos, and recorded their laughter. They compared these recordings with new recordings of four young children laughing while being tickled and playing at home.

The results showed that the laughs of humans and great apes follow a similar rhythm, with regular timing between sounds. "In a way, we are very similar to other great apes because we've been laughing in a similar way for 15 million years," said Chiara De Gregorio, the study's author at the University of Warwick in England. The study was published on June 25, 2026, in the journal Communications Biology.

Laughter shows a playful, happy feeling without using words. Many animals can laugh too, but their patterns are less similar to humans. Rats, for example, make high-pitched sounds when tickled. Human laughter has become faster and more complex. It changes with the situation, from a quiet laugh among coworkers to a loud laugh with close friends.

Brittany Florkiewicz, an animal researcher who did not join the study, said the results make sense. She would like to hear similar recordings from other playful animals, such as dogs and cats, to learn more about how laughter began.