Sophie Scott
- Stand-up comedian and academic
Press clippings
The mystery of what makes a joke funny
One consistent finding in scientific studies is that laughter is universal and predates humans, while humour seems to appear alongside modern humans - wherever there is a record of modern humans, one finds jokes.
Sophie Scott, Chortle, 25th October 2019Studying laughter is harder than you think
Parrots do it, rats do it, and we do it partly for social reasons. But to learn more, I need the help of comedy fans.
Sophie Scott, The Guardian, 15th April 2019Performance anxiety is no joke
With the announcement of a support group for stressed comedians at the Edinburgh fringe, is there any way of making life on stage easier?
Sophie Scott, The Guardian, 5th August 2015Funny business: what makes someone a comedian?
What makes us laugh? And what people are suited to comedy? On the eve of Comic Relief, cognitive neuroscientist Sophie Scott is here to explain all.
Sophie Scott, Standard Issue, 12th March 2015