We've heard the phrase "laughter is the best medicine." But what about this one? "Laughter is a universal language." That statement may not be too far from the truth, according to a recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The study detailed findings from psychologists at UCLA, who would record conversations between pairs of college students, "[isolate] out just the parts in which the two people were laughing … . [then have] volunteers listen to the clips of laughter and guess whether the people were friends or strangers." They tested this experiment in 24 different places around the world, ranging from major metropolitan areas to remote villages. Even though listeners "weren't perfect at the task," "the results were consistent across all the societies studied," revealing laughter's international power: e.g., "a Hadza hunter-gatherer in Tanzania could tell two college girls in California were friends by listening to only one second of laughter."

Possible Preaching Angle:

Isn't it wonderful to know that our Creator has formed us to speak such a "language" together?

Source:

Michaeleen Doucleff, “Ha ha HA Haha. The Sound Of Laughter Tells More Than You Think,” NPR (4-11-16)