BOSTON, USA, April 1, 2011: Few find much to laugh about in the field of genetic science, but while humor seldom reflects on science, geneticists are thinking a lot about humor these days. In an esoteric paper entitled ‘Genomic DNA Sequences for the Study of Gelotology’ published today by the Reich Laboratory, Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, the understanding of humor, specifically laughter, got a giant push forward.
While laughter may not seem that difficult, it turns out that the science is as convoluted and uncertain as astrophysics. Now scientists have identified a tiny sequence of genes responsible for laughter in humans, and not surprisingly this sequence is not found in any other living mammal. But what did surprise researchers at Reich Laboratory was the geographical distribution of the gene, named L-omega. They found the jocular gene prevalent in all human genetic pools, except those in and around the Indian Subcontinent, a fact that loosely corroborates anecdotal evidence of a dearth of wit and wisecracks in that part of the world. Earlier theories had presumed this was a cultural trait, but evidence now is strong that Indians are not genetically equipped for quipping.