World Model · podcast knowledge graph

The Surprising Science of Why We Laugh (#285)

2026-01-20 · 20 min · episode 285 · 16 entities

episode page audio

Asserted relationships

  • → hosted by Lynn Thoman person
    0.55
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed author/publisher: Lynn Thoman
  • → works at University College London company
    0.50
    evidence rules-v5
    professor at University College London and
  • → discusses Society & Culture concept
    0.40
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed category: Society & Culture
  • → discusses Business company
    0.40
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed category: Business
  • → discusses Education concept
    0.40
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed category: Education
  • → discusses Philosophy company
    0.40
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed category: Philosophy
  • → discusses Courses website
    0.40
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed category: Courses
  • → discusses Management website
    0.40
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed category: Management

Entities found in this episode

companys 6

  • mentioned University College London company
    0.62
    evidence rules-v5
    professor at University College London and
  • mentioned Business company
    0.50
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed category: Business
  • mentioned Philosophy company
    0.50
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed category: Philosophy
  • works at University College London company
    0.50
    evidence rules-v5
    professor at University College London and
  • discusses Business company
    0.40
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed category: Business
  • discusses Philosophy company
    0.40
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed category: Philosophy

concepts 4

  • mentioned Society & Culture concept
    0.50
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed category: Society & Culture
  • mentioned Education concept
    0.50
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed category: Education
  • discusses Society & Culture concept
    0.40
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed category: Society & Culture
  • discusses Education concept
    0.40
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed category: Education

websites 4

  • mentioned Courses website
    0.50
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed category: Courses
  • mentioned Management website
    0.50
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed category: Management
  • discusses Courses website
    0.40
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed category: Courses
  • discusses Management website
    0.40
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed category: Management

persons 2

  • mentioned Lynn Thoman person
    0.70
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed author/publisher: Lynn Thoman
  • hosted by Lynn Thoman person
    0.55
    evidence rules-v5
    Feed author/publisher: Lynn Thoman
Episode description as stored
We think laughter is a response to something funny. A joke. A punchline. A light moment. But listen closely to real conversations, and laughter shows up in places that are far more important than we realize - and often when nothing is funny at all. Neuroscientist Sophie Scott CBE reveals what laughter really signals, how it works, and why it quietly shapes our relationships, our hierarchies, and our sense of belonging. Sophie Scott is a professor at University College London and one of the world’s leading researchers on the science of laughter.