Researchers continue to study what Co-op members already know -- that laughter is good for health. Of course, researchers like to use rodents for their research, as humans expect a lot more compensation than treats or pats (or tickles). I jest not, researchers are tickling rats to study the health benefits of laughter.

Ahem. My whiskers are twitching on this one. The picture is almost absurd: white-coated technicians paid to go tickle rats and the rats repeatedly "laughing" and coming back for more. Can't you just see a new Steve Martin movie featuring this theme? Hmmm. Okay, back to the research. 

Northwestern University biomedical engineering professor Jeffrey Burgdorf has found that rats with the giggles produce an insulin-like growth factor chemical that acts as an antidepressant and anxiety-reducer. All good. Low cost, high pay-off intervention so far.

Dr. Burgdorf's team makes the rats "laugh" by tickling them. Yep, turns out rats just love to be tickled and were found to return to researchers over and over again for more tickling. Chimps tickle each other, too, and even laugh when threatened with fake tickling. Even dogs are reported to laugh.

You may be wondering why no one has studied feline laughter. Anyone who knows the feline nature well, knows that cats have the last laugh, especially when their humans try to summon them. ^..^