The science of laughter - Sasha Winkler

Prevodilac: Milenka Okuka Lektor: Ivana Krivokuca

Isn’t it odd that, when something’s funny,

Zar nije neobično da ćete, kada je nešto smešno,

you might show your teeth, change your breathing,

možda otkriti zube, promeniti disanje,

become weak and achy in some places, and maybe even cry?

postati slabi i osetiti bol na nekim mestima, čak možda i zaplakati?

In other words, why do we do this bizarre thing that is laughter?

Drugim rečima, zašto upražnjavamo ovu bizarnu stvar zvanu smeh?

When you laugh, your abdominal muscles contract rapidly.

Kada se smejete, vaši se trbušni mišići brzo grče.

This alters your breathing patterns,

Ovo menja vaš obrazac disanja,

increasing the pressure in your chest cavity, and pushing air out,

povećava se pritisak u vašem grudnom košu i vazduh se izbacuje napolje,

which might audibly emerge as a snort, wheeze, or vocalization.

što zvučno može izgledati kao groktanje, piskanje ili vokalizacija.

Because you’re exerting your abdominal muscles much more

Zato što naprežete trbušne mišiće daleko više

than you usually would while talking,

nego što to obično radite kada govorite,

they may start to hurt.

možda će početi da vas bole.

Laughter also inhibits your reflexes and muscle control,

Smeh takođe inhibira vaše reflekse i kontrolu mišića,

causing sensations like leg weakness.

što izaziva osećaje poput slabosti u nogama.

So, where does this funny phenomenon come from?

Dakle, odakle potiče ova smešna pojava?

Because there’s no archaeological record of laughter,

Kako nema arheoloških zapisa o smehu,

it’s impossible to say exactly how and why it evolved,

nemoguće je reći tačno kada i zašto je evoluirao,

but scientists have some theories.

ali naučnici imaju neke teorije.

Importantly, humans are not the only animals today

Važno je istaći da ljudi trenutno nisu jedine životinje

that do something like laughter.

koje rade nešto nalik smejanju.

Using ultrasonic recorders,

Upotrebom ultrasoničnih aparata za snimanje,

researchers in the late 90s realized that rats were basically giggling

istraživači su kasnih '90-ih uvideli da se pacovi praktično kikoću

while being tickled.

kada ih neko golica.

Scientists have since compiled evidence of at least 65 species—

Naučnici su otada prikupili dokaze o najmanje 65 vrsta -

mostly mammals, but also some birds— that vocalize during social play.

uglavnom sisara, ali i nekih ptica - koje vokalizuju tokom društvene igre.

Some, unsurprisingly, are our closest relatives.

Ne iznenađuje što su neki od njih naši najbliži rođaci.

By recording and analyzing the sounds primates make

Snimanjem i analiziranjem zvukova koje prave primati

while playing and being tickled,

dok se igraju i dok ih golicaju,

researchers grew more convinced that the ancient ancestor of all great apes

istraživači su postali sve ubeđeniji da su drevni preci svih velikih majmuna

did something like laughter.

radili nešto nalik smehu.

And, because other apes make laughter-like sounds during rough-and-tumble play,

A kako drugi majmuni proizvode zvuke nalik smehu tokom grublje igre,

they think laughter may have originally developed to clearly signal

smatra se da se smeh prvobitno razvio kako bi jasno signalizirao

friendly, non-aggressive intent.

prijateljsku, neagresivnu nameru.

But of course, humans don’t just laugh when we’re wrestling,

Naravno, ljudi se ne smeju jedino tokom rvanja,

but also when we’re amused, and even surprised, confused, or nervous.

već i kada nam je zabavno, čak i kada smo iznenađeni, zbunjeni ili nervozni.

Some scientists think laughter took on expanded functions

Neki naučnici smatraju da je smeh preuzeo proširene funkcije

after humans split from other great apes

nakon što su se ljudi razdvojili od drugih velikih majmuna

and developed large social groups and more complex language abilities.

i razvili velike društvene grupe i složenije jezičke sposobnosti.

They hypothesize that laughter gradually became something we could use

Pretpostavljaju da je smeh vremenom postao nešto što smo mogli da koristimo

not just during play but within speech to convey subtle meanings

ne samo tokom igre, već i u govoru kako bismo preneli suptilna značenja

and a range of contexts to show our emotions.

i čitavu kontekstualnu lepezu u ispoljavanju emocija.

This is thought to be one of the reasons that laughter is contagious:

Smatra se da je ovo jedan od razloga zašto je smeh tako zarazan:

it’s like an invitation to share in someone’s emotional state.

on je poput pozivnice za učestvovanje u nečijem raspoloženju.

Just hearing clips of laughter can activate key regions in your brain,

Puko slušanje isečaka smeha može da aktivira ključne oblasti u mozgu,

triggering you to smile or laugh yourself.

izazivajući vas da se i sami smeškate ili smejete.

And, when participants in one study watched a funny video,

A kada su učesnici u jednoj studiji gledali smešni snimak,

they laughed significantly longer and more often

značajno duže i češće su se smejali

when another person was present—

u prisustvu još jedne osobe -

even though they reported feeling the same level of amusement.

iako su prijavljivali da su osećali isti stepen zabavljenosti.

Human laughter is also generally louder

Ljudski smeh je uopšteno i glasniji

than the play vocalizations of most animals.

od vokalizacije tokom igre kod većine životinja.

Some scientists speculate that this is because our laughter functions

Neki naučnici spekulišu da je to tako zato što naš smeh funkcioniše

not only as a signal between individuals, but a broadcast to everyone around.

ne samo kao signal između pojedinaca, već i kao obraćanje svima iz okoline.

Studies found that observers across the world and as young as 5 months old

Istraživanja su pokazala da posmatrači širom sveta i već sa pet meseci starosti

could reliably tell the difference between close friends and acquaintances

mogu pouzdano da razlikuju bliske prijatelje od poznanika

just from brief clips of them laughing.

samo na osnovu kratkih isečaka njihovog smeha.

Similarly, we can tell whether a laugh is real or fake based just on the sound.

Slično, možemo da odredimo da li je smeh iskren ili lažan samo na osnovu zvuka.

Fake, or volitional, laughter is produced

Lažan, tj. voljan smeh se proizvodi

in entirely different networks in the brain,

u sasvim posebnim mrežama u mozgu,

relying on speech-like pathways.

oslanjajući se na obrasce nalik govoru.

Meanwhile, spontaneous laughter arises from older networks

Sa druge strane, spontani smeh nastaje u starijim mrežama

that other animals also use for their vocalizations.

koje i druge životinje koriste za svoje vokalizacije.

And laughter is not just socially important;

A smeh nema samo društveni značaj:

it’s also thought to be good for us.

smatra se i da je dobar za nas.

When we laugh, our brains release feel-good neurotransmitters

Kada se smejemo, naš mozak oslobađa neurotransmitere dobrog raspoloženja,

like endorphins,

poput endorfina,

and decrease levels of stress hormones like cortisol.

i snižava nivoe hormona stresa, poput kortizola.

Some research even suggests that people who laugh more

Neki istraživači čak navode da ljudi koji se više smeju

can cope with stress more effectively and have better cardiovascular health.

mogu da se nose sa stresom efikasnije i imaju bolje kardiovaskularno zdravlje.

Laughter is a universal human behavior.

Smeh je univerzalno ljudsko ponašanje.

Babies can laugh before they can speak.

Bebe pre nauče da se smeju nego da govore.

Whether it's the best medicine depends on your ailment.

To da li je najbolji lek zavisi od čega bolujete.

But as something that makes life more tolerable,

No, kako je on nešto zbog čega je život podnošljiviji,

strengthens bonds, and potentially improves aspects of your health,

što učvršćuje veze i potencijalno unapređuje aspekte vašeg zdravlja,

you can’t go wrong with a good laugh.

ne možete pogrešiti sa gromkim smehom.

Unless you have a broken rib or something.

Osim ukoliko niste slomili rebro ili nešto slično.

Then it’s no laughing matter.

Onda to nije za smejanje.

Certainly nothing to crack up about.

Svakako nemojte da prasnete.