PUN-derstanding

Did you hear the one about the guy who lost his left arm? He’s all RIGHT now!

This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, and on, yes, puns.

Researchers Seana Coulson and Els Severens wondered, which side of the brain enjoys a good pun? They recorded the brain activity of volunteers listening to an – uh – prePUNderance of puns. Like “during branding, cowboys have sore calves”. Anything for science!

At the same time, the subjects were shown a list of words related to the pun. Words like COW or LEG. Get it? baby cows are calves, and so is a leg muscle…?

Different words were shown to only the right or left eye. Results?

The left brain sparked immediately when the right eye saw COW or LEG. The right brain, left eye, only sparked with COW at first.

But within a second, BOTH sides of the brain sparked with understanding. So it takes two (sides) to understand a pun!

In regards to some of those jokes, I’m still waiting for the full low-down. No pun intended!