How to Actually Buy Happiness
Spending money on experiences rather than material objects is proven to bring you more lasting happiness.
Every fact, in one place.
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Even Monkeys Demand Fair Pay!
Capuchin monkeys understand fairness and will reject a lesser reward, like a cucumber, if they see another monkey get a better grape for the same task.
Your Secret Power: Second Wind #3093
The human body can push past perceived limits of exhaustion, a phenomenon known as 'second wind', by tapping into anaerobic energy stores.
The True Meaning of Integrity
The word 'integrity' comes from the Latin 'integer,' meaning whole or complete.
The Secret Trust Hormone #3945
The hormone oxytocin, often called the 'love hormone', is also the chemical foundation of trust in your brain.
Your Brain on Trust
Being trusted by someone else activates the same reward centers in your brain as receiving money.
The Origin of Integrity #6086
The word "integrity" originates from the Latin word "integer," meaning whole or complete.
Meditation Can Rewire Your Brain
Studies show that just 8 weeks of meditation can physically increase grey matter in the hippocampus, the part of the brain associated with learning and memory.
Your Brain on Kindness
Being kind boosts your brain's 'feel-good' chemicals like serotonin and dopamine, creating a 'helper's high'.
A Useless Fact
Dentists have recommended that a toothbrush be kept at least 6 feet away from a toilet to avoid airborne particles resulting from the flush.
Why Giving Feels So Good
Being generous activates the same pleasure centers in your brain as food and sex.
The Secret to Buying Happiness
Spending money on experiences provides more lasting happiness than spending it on material objects.
The Rejection That Created a Wizard #642
J.K. Rowling's 'Harry Potter' manuscript was rejected by 12 publishers before finally being accepted.
A Mother's Ultimate Sacrifice #4306
In a practice called matriphagy, some spider mothers sacrifice themselves as the first meal for their young.
Losing Hurts More Than Winning #9572
The psychological pain of losing something is roughly twice as powerful as the pleasure of gaining the exact same thing, a bias known as loss aversion.
Where Does Lost Fat Go? #1219
When you 'lose' weight, 84% of the fat you burn is actually exhaled as carbon dioxide.
Ketchup Was Once a Medicine
In the 1830s, ketchup was sold as a medicine, claiming to cure ailments like indigestion and diarrhea.
The Roman Roots of Ambition #9514
The word 'ambition' comes from the Latin 'ambitio', which literally meant 'a going around' to canvass for votes in ancient Rome.
Trivia
50 is the focal length in millimeters of the normal lens in 35 mm photography.
Ants' Epic Survival Raft
To survive floods, fire ants link their bodies together to create living, waterproof rafts.
A Day on Venus is Longer Than a Year
A single day on the planet Venus is longer than an entire year on Venus.
The Start of All Wisdom? #4879
The Socratic paradox, "I know that I know nothing," is considered a cornerstone of Western philosophical wisdom.
The Secret of a Real Smile
A genuine smile of joy, called a 'Duchenne smile,' is involuntary and uses the muscles around your eyes.
The Secret to Living Longer?
Optimism is linked to a 10-15% longer lifespan and a greater likelihood of living past the age of 85.
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