If scrolling through social media has taught me anything, it’s this: animals are hilarious. I mean, how many of us have seen those videos of primates absolutely losing it over magic tricks or cats acting like their owners just ruined their entire day? Classic.
But here’s the wild part—scientists are starting to ask whether animals might actually pull pranks on purpose. Are humans the only ones with a sense of humor? Hard to say, but we’re definitely not the only creatures who like to mess around.
Take nursery spiders, for example. Male spiders try to woo females by presenting prey wrapped up in silk. Sounds fancy, right? But here’s the catch—about 70% of the time, the “gift” is a total scam. Instead of a solid snack, it might be something like a chewed-up cricket leg or half a fly. It’s less about being funny and more about cutting corners, but still—it’s a bold move.
Now, primates like chimps and orangutans seem to lean more into playful teasing. They’ll pull tricks like yanking on someone’s hair, bonking them with a toy, or offering a tool only to snatch it away. Sometimes, they even give a quick smack and take off running. Sound familiar? (If you’ve ever had siblings, you know the vibe.)
What makes teasing different from real aggression is that the “victim” usually brushes it off. It’s like when a friend gives you a hard time, and you just roll your eyes or laugh it off. Scientists think this kind of playful behavior might actually help primates build stronger social bonds. It’s like testing the waters—figuring out who’s cool with a joke and, by extension, who’s got your back when things get tough.
And it’s not just primates who might have a sense of humor. Animals with big brains, long childhoods, and not a lot of predators—like elephants and dolphins—could be in on the fun too. Scientists are still gathering evidence, but it makes you wonder how much we’re missing in the animal kingdom.
Oh, and check this out: researchers found that chimps with more “agreeable” personalities tend to live longer in captivity. Maybe being able to take a joke really is good for your health!
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Here are some questions I'd ask my students if I brought this graph to my class:
💡What it the probability that a "non-agreeable" male will live to the age of 10? How does this compare to "agreeable" males at the same age? The graph shows that 80% of both the non-agreeable and agreeable males live to age 10.
💡What is the probability that an "agreeable" male will live to age 40? How does this compare to the odds of a "non-agreeable" male living to 40? An agreeable male has about a 45% chance of living to age 40 while a non-agreeable male only has about a 25% chance of living to age 40.
💡Pick out one pattern that you see when observing the three graphs. Give an explanation for why you think this pattern might be present. Patterns can vary, but students might observe that non-agreeable males tend to have a shorter life span than agreeable males. This may be because non-agreeable males have fewer members in their social circle to help care for or protect them compared to the agreeable males.
