If wordlessly clapping your hands to make as much noise as possible feels like a rather primitive thing to do, you’d be quite right. It’s thought that the origins of applause lie far, far back in the ...

See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. A video of a passenger appearing in "shock" after seeing the man next ...

Anyone who frequently travels by air will at one point or another have witnessed the strange ritual which some passengers take part in as soon as the plane’s wheels hit the tarmac. Whether out of ...

See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. At 10 a.m. Eastern time on August 16, 2026, several billion people are ...

It's such a natural reaction to something impressive or joyous that you might never have thought to question it. But why do we show our appreciation, approval, or even happiness by noisily clapping ...