Dolphins laugh too: a new study on playful behavior

Dolphins also laugh just like us humans. A new scientific study reveals the reason behind those smiles exchanged between their peers

Humans aren’t the only ones to smile, whether or not the full set of 32 teeth is involved. Many animals also display smiles or similar facial expressions, and dolphins aren’t an exception. These intelligent social creatures do more than “smile”-they laugh.

This astonishing revelation was made by a team of researchers from the Universities of Pisa, Turin, and Rennes in a new study. The study, which investigates open-mouth facial expressions of bottlenose dolphins-species Tursiops truncatus-was published in the journal Cell Press iScience.

Playful interactions and “open-mouth smiles”

The researchers, while observing a pod of captive dolphins, recorded 1,288 “open-mouth” expressions during playful interactions. An astonishing 89% of these incidents occurred during play, and in 33% of the instances, the dolphins returned the smile-like expression.

In our study, we didn’t only observe this facial expression but we also showed that dolphins can mimic it. In other words, one dolphin observing a companion ‘laughing’ will return the expression one out of three times,” explained University of Pisa Professor Elisabetta Palagi, the head of the international research team.

A Socisal phenomenon among dolphins

This was determined to be more of a playful expression that occurred with other dolphins rather than with humans or when the dolphin was alone. The data would suggest that dolphins tend to “laugh” with their buddies and use the expression to denote playful intent.

“The relaxed open-mouth expression, from carnivores to primates, including humans, is a universal sign of playfulness. It helps players avoid letting rough-and-tumble games escalate into conflict,” Dr. Palagi said.

This behavior likely evolved from mock biting, where the action lacks actual contact, a phenomenon observed in other species, including bears and mongooses.

Beyond acoustic communication

For dolphins, this reveals a non-acoustic modality of communication, adding a new layer to what was known about their social behaviors. While much research has focused on dolphin whistles and other sounds, visual communication may be equally rich in meaning.

“Visual communication carries information that could be valuable in helping scientists deepen their understanding of this species,” the study concluded.

How-ever, one important question remains to be asked: how do dolphins use visual communication in their natural habitats, where all of their behaviors remain unconstrained and uninfluenced? Indeed, further research will be paramount to answer this.

Source: Cell Press iScience

Global warming reshapes Santa’s arctic Village

Climate change is also hitting the magical world of Santa Claus hard. Finnish Lapland, where Santa Claus Village is located, is experiencing an unusually warm and snow-free November. This phenomenon not only threatens the idyllic image of Arctic Christmas, but also has consequences for the ecosystem and the reindeer, putting traditional Christmas activities at risk

@Jonathan NACKSTRAND/AFP

The image of Christmas is often tied to snowy landscapes, Santa Claus riding a sleigh pulled by reindeer, and houses blanketed in white. But what happens when this pristine scene is disrupted by global warming?

A snowless Santa’s village

In Finnish Lapland, the town of Rovaniemi, where Santa Claus Village is located, lies about 5 miles north of the city center and on the Arctic Circle. This magical destination is usually covered in snow by late November. Instead, the village is experiencing above-freezing temperatures and torrential rain.

At a time of year when snow should dominate the landscape, the thermometer reads 36°F (2°C), and the skies are gray. This unseasonal weather is a stark reminder of the Arctic’s vulnerability to global warming. A study in Nature confirms that the Arctic is warming nearly four times faster than the global average. In Lapland, record-breaking temperatures have reached 52°F (11.1°C) in November, underscoring this alarming trend.

The impact of climate change on Lapland

The lack of snow doesn’t just dull the holiday spirit—it also upsets the balance of the local ecosystem. Reindeer, iconic to both Santa Claus lore and the Sámi culture, struggle to access their primary food source, lichen, due to ice layers formed when melted snow refreezes.

“My reindeer can fly, so we’re fine,” jokes a Santa Claus working in the village. “But climate change is real. It’s affecting life here in the Arctic, especially for the reindeer.”

Santa’s Village: a beloved attraction under threat

There’s no snow, but still, tourists flock from around the world to Santa Claus Village. The area had more than 1 million overnight stays last year. Visitors flock to meet Santa, get a photo taken with him (from about $43), check out his post office where elves sort letters and take a snowmobile or reindeer sleigh adventure.

The village is open all year round, but aside from Santa Park-an underground Christmas-themed amusement park-and the chance to cross the Arctic Circle, complete with a certificate, one does begin to wonder how long the magic of an Arctic Christmas can really survive without its trademark snow.

“I expected much more snow,” says one American tourist. “The Christmas spirit is here. but I thought it would feel more like Santa’s home.”

A different Christmas, same spirit

While some visitors might feel let down by the lack of snow, Christmas spirit remains healthy and alive. At Santa’s post office, the elves were in a hurry to deal with thousands of letters from around the world. “This year, many people have wanted peace“, said one elf.