Swearing, it turns out, is an incredibly useful part of our linguistic repertoire. Not only has some form of swearing existed since the earliest humans began to communicate, but it has been shown to reduce physical pain, help stroke victims recover their language, and encourage people to work together as a team. Emma Byrne, a science communicator who specialises in AI, robotics and neuroscience, presents a spirited defence of our most cherished dirty words, backed by historical case studies and cutting-edge research.
