The Guardian

Who’s laughing now? The science behind the UN’s reaction to Trump | Sophie Scott

The sniggering response to the president’s boasts proves laughter is a powerful weapon

It was very hard not to wince when Donald Trump scored a solid laugh in his speech at the United Nations. Of course, this is partly because laughter isn’t commonly heard at the UN but is also because laughter is always meaningful to humans.

Part of the way humans respond to laughter is to work

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