Today is National Waffle Day
Want to be happier in quarantine? Smile more
You might as well admit it -- months of pandemic quarantine has all of us feeling more than a little anxious, if not downright depressed. But the key to feeling better might be to fake being happy.
Researchers at theUniversity of South Australiasay they've discovered that the mere act of smiling can convince your brain that you are, in fact, happy.
The study, published in theJournal of Experimental Psychology, involved having test subjects hold a pen between their teeth. That simple act forced their facial muscles into a familiar smile pattern. That in turn altered not only facial expressions, but also body expressions.
"[W]e found that when you forcefully practice smiling, it stimulates the amygdala -- the emotional center of the brain -- which releases neurotransmitters to encourage an emotionally positive state,” said researcher Dr. Marmolejo-Ramos.
Put another way: “When your muscles say you’re happy, you’re more likely to see the world around you in a positive way,” says Marmolejo-Ramos, adding, "“A ‘fake it ‘til you make it’ approach could have more credit than we expect.”
Mind you, while it never hurts to smile, if you're feeling significantly depressed a trip to a medical professional is likely your best first step to feeling better.
At 8-Years-Old, Boy Becomes Youngest Ever To Solo Pilot A Hot-Air Balloon
He may be just a fourth grader, butJT Headhas just become the youngest person ever to solo pilot a hot-air balloon. JT took his record-setting 20-minute flight on July 10, soaring 400-feet for a mile and half over the Sautee Valley near Helen.
JT learned to fly from his dad, Tarp Head, who has been piloting balloons for four decades. “My dad owns a hot-air balloon company,” he explains. “I got really interested in hot-air balloons, and so I decided that I wanted to do a solo flight one day.” During the flight, JT says he had the chance to see ordinary things in a new way: “I saw the sun setting. I saw a lot of cows…,” he told the news outlet. “My favorite thing was probably seeing the back of Yonah Mountain.”
Link:11 Alive
Researchers Create Biodegradable Flip Flops Made From Algae:In an effort to curb the number of plastics polluting our oceans, researchers have come up with an idea on howto generate some buzz while also cutting back on using plastics. Researchers at the University of California San Diego have developed flip flops made from algae-based, polyurethane materials to help fight plastic pollution around the world. As "the world's most popular shoe, researchers said, " plastic flip flops account for a significant portion of that pollution." They also don't want people chucking these flip flops into rivers or oceans when they're done with them but they do say that the flip flops, under the right conditions, will decompose and break down in about 18 weeks. So they suggest you drop them either in compost or in soil. The flip flops will be available in January 2021 in a range of fashionable colors and designs.