Tickling may seem like child's play, but scientists are beginning to see it as something much deeper—a complex puzzle tied to human touch, laughter, and brain development. The sensation of being ...

Scientists have developed a new method to investigate the long-standing mystery of how tickling works, an advance that could have big implications for our understanding of brain development. Humans ...

This narrative illustration visualizes the discovery of how oxytocin-mediated neural circuits in the hypothalamus promote social bonding through playful interactions. A traditional Japanese landscape ...

A surprise tickle attack, especially in sensitive areas like the armpits, torso, or soles of the feet, can send most people into uncontrollable laughter as they squirm away, while others might stay ...

Socrates wondered 2,000 years ago, and Charles Darwin also racked his brains: what is a tickle, and why are we so sensitive to tickling? ‘Tickling is relatively under-researched,’ says neuroscientist ...