Interesting Facts

According to a study from Washington State University Dutch babies laugh, smile and like to cuddle more than their American counterparts. (The study found that U.S. infants, were typically more active and vocal, but Dutch babies demonstrated greater expressions of happiness during routine activities and were easier to calm or soothe when upset. The researchers hypothesize that Dutch infants' relatively calm demeanors were due in part to a more regulated sleep schedule and lower intensity activities. I know which kind of baby I would prefer at 2 in the morning.) Source

Is world smile day. SMILE :D

According to Glasgow-based Go Group, a smile, which appears too swiftly and does not extend to the eyes, can sends signals that you lack sincerity. (They found that people should avoid three types of grin: The Enthusiast - A huge smile showing all of your teeth and wide eyes can be overbearing. The Big Freeze - A constant, practised smile lacks sincerity. The Robot - A tiny, polite smile doesn't display warmth. It seems there's more to smiling than meets the eyes, that said, the more you practise, the less sincere you look.)

According to new research by Glasgow-based Go Group, the speed of your smile can have an impact on the first impressions created in others. (Smiling too quickly can lead others to think that you are insincere, but slow grins appear more genuine. So, the Cheshire Cat had it spot on.)

Computerised scanners around 15 Tokyo railway stations have introduced a system to check that staff are smiling enough. (The system measures the smile's curvature to ensure it is broad enough. Say "cheese" everyone.)

When we smile genuinely, there are two major muscles that move. A Duchenne smile or Zygomatic smile involves contraction of both the zygomatic major muscle (which turns the corner of the lips up to meet the eyes) and the orbicularis oculi muscle (which raises the cheeks and forms crow's feet around the eyes). A non-Duchenne smile involves only the zygomatic major muscle and looks fake. (Many researchers believe that Duchenne smiles indicate genuine spontaneous emotions since most people cannot voluntarily contract the outer portion of the orbicularis oculi muscle. As for the crow's feet, I prefer the term "laughter lines".)