Psychology News
Prof Robin Goodwin, along with researcher Olena Orlova and doctoral student Tarandeep Kang, held a Parliamentary Roundtable on Supporting Disabled Ukrainians in the UK
PR: What’s so funny?! Apes and humans have been sharing a laugh for 15 million years
Great apes may have been laughing with a similar rhythm to modern humans for over 15 million years, a University of Warwick study reveals, providing an unexpected clue to how human speech evolved.
Dr Chiara De Gregorio, Honorary Research Associate, Department of Psychology, University of Warwick said: “How did humans evolve the remarkable ability to speak? Speech leaves no fossils, and complex language exists only in our own species. But we've found a 15-million-year-old clue in an unexpected place: our laughter.
Dr Adriano Lameria, Associate Professor, ApeTank, Department of Psychology, University of Warwick concluded: “It is impossible to assess the precursor forms of language directly from our extinct ancestors. Laughter, being evolutionarily older and having remained shared between all living great apes, provides a rare evolutionary window into the vocal transformations that unfolded across hominid evolution until the first humans appeared on scene.
Prof. Dieter Wolke Featured on The Baby Fact Check: Why Does My Baby Cry So Much?
We're pleased to highlight The Baby Fact Check, a new podcast hosted by science communicator Greg Foot (BBC's Sliced Bread), which examines common claims about babies and parenting using the best available evidence.
Designed to be accessible, engaging and informative, the series brings together researchers, clinicians and other experts to explore questions that many parents encounter online.
The podcast features Prof Dieter Wolke, talking about crying in babies and how to soothe them.
We encourage parents, practitioners and anyone interested in child development to take a listen.
Trailer and episodes:
Why does my baby cry so much? Understanding the newborn "Crying Peak"