Great Apes Exhibit Playful Teasing, Suggesting Early Origins of Humor

New research reveals that great apes engage in playful teasing behaviors, indicating that the cognitive prerequisites for humor may have evolved at least 13 million years ago.

Great apes, including orangutans, chimpanzees, bonobos, and gorillas, engage in playful teasing behaviors, mirroring human joking.
Playful teasing in great apes involves one-sided provocation, repetition, and elements of surprise, similar to early human teasing.
The study suggests that the cognitive foundations for humor and teasing were present in the last common ancestor of humans and great apes.
Researchers hope the findings will inspire further studies on playful teasing in more species to understand the evolution of humor.
The study emphasizes the importance of protecting endangered great apes and highlights the similarities we share with our closest relatives.