Latif Nasser from Radiolab appears as a guest on Wendy Zukerman's podcast, Science Vs.
Science Vs. explores topics using scientific research to dispel myths and provide practical guidance.
This episode centers around finding the funniest joke in the world.
Introduction to the Quest
Wendy Zukerman and Latif Nasser embark on a mission to find the funniest joke.
The journey is described as epic and potentially a bit rude.
Origin of the idea: Wendy was feeling down and searched online for jokes, realizing the quality was poor, she decided to find scientifically the funniest joke.
Opinions from Comedians
Notable comedians like Tig Notaro and Takashi Wakasugi comment on the subjectivity of comedy.
Penny Greenhalgh is skeptical about finding the funniest joke.
Dr. Jason Leong and Loni Love provide some optimism, emphasizing simplicity in humor.
The Role of Laughter
Sophie Scott, a cognitive neuroscience professor, discusses the evolutionary aspect of laughter.
Laughter is loud and contagious, possibly serving a social bonding function.
Scott's study shows laughter can make even bad jokes seem funnier.
Richard Wiseman's Experiment
In the early 2000s, psychologist Richard Wiseman conducted an experiment to find the world’s funniest joke using a website where people could submit and rate jokes.
The experiment attracted global participation and removed inappropriate jokes to maintain family-friendliness.
Variations of a simple cow joke were used to investigate why certain jokes are funny.
The joke with ducks saying "quack" was found to be the funniest variation.
The Science of Funny Words
Research shows that certain sounds, like hard "K" sounds, are perceived as funnier.
Words like "duck" and "quack" have elements that make them amusing.
The "Wriggly, Squiffy, Lummox and Boobs" paper delves into what makes words humorous, considering sound patterns and rarity of sounds.
Global Humor Similarities
Studies suggest more similarities than differences in humor across cultures.
Universal themes like sex, bodily functions, and simple human dynamics have a broad appeal.
Results of Wiseman's Experiment
Thousands of jokes collected and evaluated; the winning joke involved hunters and was about misunderstanding the instruction to ensure someone was dead.
Mixed reactions from comedians regarding the winning joke.
Discussion on the science behind humor theories: surprise, superiority, and benign violation.
Conclusion
Despite the scientific endeavor, it was concluded that humor is subjective and finding a universally funny joke is challenging.
The journey highlighted the complexity of humor and the communal aspect of laughter.
The episode ended on the note of appreciating the personal nature of what individuals find funny.