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The science behind why no one laughs at our jokes


How do you like the following joke from Sumeria in about 1900BC? “Something which has never occurred since time immemorial; a young woman did not fart in her husband’s lap.” Or this classic from Egypt, 1600BC? “How do you entertain a bored pharaoh? You sail a boatload of young women dressed only in fishing nets down the Nile and urge the pharaoh to go catch a fish.” If not, maybe try this more modern joke from 1000AD Britain: “What hangs at a man’s thigh and wants to poke the hole that it’s often poked before? Answer: A key.” The chances…

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