Humor, our naturally instilled tranquilizer with no side effects, is fundamental to our mental health and well-being. Yet so little is understood of its purpose, underlying mechanisms and the universality to all human societies. However, in his book The Pattern Recognition Theory of Humor, Alastair Clarke provides a new insight and examination of the mechanism and function of humor.

Are you ready?
Are you ready for the funniest joke on the planet?
Here it is:

Two hunters are out in the woods when one of them collapses. He doesn't seem to be breathing and his eyes are glazed. The other guy whips out his phone and calls the emergency services. He gasps, "My friend is dead! What can I do?” The operator says "Calm down. I can help. First, let's make sure he's dead." There is a silence, and then a shot is heard. Back on the phone, the guy says "OK, now what?"

Some people never laugh at your jokes? Don’t worry about your sense of humor. There is another possibility besides the fact that the joke might just not be funny: the person you are facing could suffer from Asperger syndrome.