It’s often said that laughter is the best medicine. Norwegian researcher Sven Sveback says he’s got the data to prove it.

Sveback, of the medical school at Norwegian University of Science and Technology, has released a study of 54,000 individuals whom he tracked for seven years after they filled out a questionnaire on how much humor they found in life. He found a direct correlation between having a sense of humor and longevity.

According to Sveback’s research, humor cut the chances of death for cancer patients by 70%.

“Humor works like a shock absorber in a car,” he says. “You appreciate a good shock absorber when you go over bumps, and cancer is a big bump in life.”

A Laugh A Day May Help Keep Death Further Away

Centenarians often make the news. Reaching a hundredth year is a feat that makes most people want to know the secret to living well and long.

Reuters news service carries the story of Chan Chi, a Hong Kong villager who has reached the impressive age of 107, and is surprisingly spry. Chan Chi credits his longevity to a low-fat diet, regular exercise and… abstinence. Chan has been celibate since his wife died almost 80 years ago.

But while he hasn’t been having sex, Chan still enjoys smoking cigarettes.

Go figure.