How To Trick Yourself into Being Less Ticklish

We know why people laugh when they're tickled and why it's basically impossible to tickle yourself. And now, thanks to this video by The Royal Institution, we know how to handle ourselves when family, friends, and frenemies get handsy. The science behind it is pretty simple: You can't tickle yourself because your brain knows the touch is coming and prepares itself. You can put that response to work by placing your hand on top of your would-be tickler's. This tricks your brain into thinking the imminent touch is coming from a known source—thus suppressing the typical ticklish sensation. Check out the video above to see this tickle hack in action. 

[h/t io9]