Scientific Method / Science & Exploration  Watch funny GIFs all
day, for science!  Does a GIF's emotional variance impact how
it's received?   Researchers at MIT are analyzing animated GIFs
in an attempt to catalog what they believe to be a unique,
Internet-based emotional vocabulary.  An animated GIF—these days
often presented in the form of a "reaction GIF"—can make us
laugh, but it can also help convey various other complex
emotions, including anger, contempt, guilt, or even empathy in
an environment that is frequently dominated by text. The
advantage of communicating with GIFs, claim the authors of this
research, is they can quickly and easily add context in a subtle
way that text or emoticons cannot.   "When you are sent a
reaction GIF, it takes only a few seconds for you to 'get it',"
explains Rich. "GIFs convey emotions quickly and powerfully.
GIFs are sent around on e-mail chains, included in news
articles, and are at the core of huge Internet cultures. They
are used to express every range of experien