Biologists have observed bonobos, orangutans, gorillas and chimpanzees poke, tickle and even steal from their groupmates as a form of playful teasing. Understanding these apes’ mischievous behaviour could help biologists work out how joking evolved in humans. Playing is a widespread behaviour among the great apes that is thought to help improve muscle coordination and strengthen the social bonds between groupmates. Previous studies have found that chimpanzees may engage in agonistic teasing, or harassment, to reinforce their hierarchical positions. But teasing can also be a form of play, when the right balance of enjoyment and aggression is struck, to create amusement for the individuals involved. Credit: Laumer et al., 2024 Proceedings of the Royal Society B Learn more ➤ [Delete if there’s no relevant article] Subscribe ➤ https://bit.ly/NSYTSUBS Get more from New Scientist: Official website: https://bit.ly/NSYTHP Facebook: https://bit.ly/NSYTFB Twitter: https://bit.ly/NSYTTW Instagram: https://bit.ly/NSYTINSTA LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/NSYTLIN About New Scientist: New Scientist was founded in 1956 for “all those interested in scientific discovery and its social consequences”. Today our website, videos, newsletters, app, podcast and print magazine cover the world’s most important, exciting and entertaining science news as well as asking the big-picture questions about life, the universe, and what it means to be human. New Scientist https://www.newscientist.com/