Why do you Smile when you're happy?
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Psst, gather round, smarty pants, for I, the trusty narrator, have something to say. It's the story of a young boy who was always afraid. He was petite in form, meaning he was small, and very shy. As such, he was always cautious about new things to try. One day at the park, he was approached by another little boy who sat beside him and asked if he'd like to share his new toy. Aww.

However, the shy boy wasn't quite sure what to say. It'd been a long time since someone had asked him to play. Luckily, his shyness didn't deter his new friend, whose lips and mouth formed into a big, wide grin. He introduced himself. Hello, my name is Keith. And his smile grew bigger until you could see all his teeth.

He asked the shy boy if there was something wrong. Maybe you don't want to play and you'd rather be alone. But then a strange thing happened and the boy began to smile and all of his nervous thoughts disappeared for a while. For the next few hours, he and Keith laughed, joked and played. And what started out as scary turned into a wonderful day.

I tell you all this tale today, my smarty pants friends, because sometimes it just takes one smile to change how the story ends. Uh, trusty narrator?

That's a cute story, but what does it mean? Hmm, I thought you'd figure it out quick. Now I must find a way to get my story to stick. It sounds like you're stuck rhyming. Yikes! What can I do to stop rhyming every word I say to you? Yep, still rhyming. Maybe if I take a long walk, I can somehow escape all this lyrical talk. I'll be right back. In the meantime, Smarty Pants, have a quick snack. Ah! Um, hello? Testing...

Hmm. I don't know if the trusty narrator meant to leave his mic on. I see he also left his script here. Maybe I should read it to you. Let's see. It says, As you just heard from our story about the boy who felt shy and lonely, all it took was seeing someone else smile to make him feel like smiling too. And once he smiled, he was able to relax and make a new friend to play with.

Oh, so that's what the story was about. Pretty cool, trusty narrator. Okay, I'm back, and I'm cured from rhyming, I think. So you're asking about the story? Actually, I totally get it now. See? I knew you were a smarty pants. But now I want to know more about smiling. Great! It just so happens that's what I wanted to talk to you about today. Um, have you seen my script anywhere? There it is.

As you just heard from our story about a boy. Wait, wait. I kind of read that part already. You did? Yeah. Sorry. I hope you're not mad. Um, are you smiling? I am. So you're not mad? No.

Nope. I'm glad you took the initiative, smarty pants. And even helps demonstrate how a smile is a social cue and a form of nonverbal communication. Cool, cool. Well, thanks for teaching me about smiles. Whoa, whoa, whoa. There is a lot more to learn about smiling than just that. Like what? Like what are the mechanics behind a smile? What makes you smile? And how did humans learn to smile in the first place? It's time for another whiff of science and history on...

Who's smart? Who's smart? Is it you? Is it me? Is it science? Or history? Listen up, everyone. Smarting. Lots of fun. On Who's Smart? Do you want to spend another summer stuck at home? Hey, Jim. How's your back? Uh, you know. I hear ya. Leave the small talk behind because Disney and Pixar invite you on an out-of-this-world adventure.

Engaging hyperspeed. This is Autumn! On June 20th. Welcome to the community. Prepare to be conquered! But I just got here! Follow me. What is this place? These are the lava tunnels. I am not moving! Disney and Pixar's Elio. In theaters June 20th. Tickets available now. Rated PG. Parental guidance suggested. Psst. Hey, smarty pants. True or false? There's only one type of smile. True. False?

That's right, smarty pants here in the studio and all you smarty pants listening. There is definitely more than one type of smile. I know. Isn't that wild?

No, not that kind of wild. Wild as in surprising or fascinating, which is one type of smile. It's true. I do tend to smile when I'm surprised by something. Uh-huh. Then you might not be surprised to learn that studies show there are actually hundreds of different types of smiles that you and other people use. Just to name a few, there's the fear smile, the miserable smile,

The embarrassed smile. The angry enjoyment smile. The flirtatious smile. The fake smile. And most importantly, the genuine smile. The genuine smile?

That's right. The genuine smile is sometimes referred to as the Duchenne smile, named after the French anatomist Duchenne de Boulogne way back in 1862. Oh, and an anatomist is an expert in studying the body and body structures. Okay, but what makes a smile genuine?

According to Duchenne, the difference between a fake smile, which is a smile you have to force yourself to make, and a real, happy, genuine smile that happens without you thinking about it, all comes down to a muscle located in your eyelids. This muscle is called... Oh, let me see if I can guess. Is it called...

The eyelid muscle? Well, the technical term is actually... Wait, wait. Give me another try. Um, how about the smiling eye muscle? No.

The I spy muscle? How about a hint? It's the orba. Oh, the Orbeez muscle. I knew it. Not quite. It's called the orbicularis oculi muscle. Yeah, I never would have gotten that. That's okay. We're learning. The thing about a genuine smile is that it's involuntary. It just happens. As opposed to a fake smile that you have to force or, you know. Fake? Exactly. But

But only a real smile activates the orbicularis oculi muscles, which usually cause little lines to appear next to your eyes.

A fake smile does not, which means... So, you can tell if someone is really smiling or just faking it by whether or not they have little lines by their eyes? Look at you, such a smarty pants. And I can see that big proud smile on your face right now is definitely real. It sure is. Anyway, regardless of what type of smile you're using, smiling in general is important.

True or false, a smile can actually make you feel better. Hmm. Based on the knowledge you've already dropped, I'm guessing true. Nailed it. You ever hear of the phrase, fake it till you make it? Well, when it comes to smiling, the more you smile, the better you'll feel. It's a scientific fact. All the muscles that you use to smile send a message to the reward part of your brain.

even if it's a fake smile. This causes an increased flow of all of the hormones that cause happiness. So, wait a second. If I fake a smile, someone else might be able to tell.

But it actually fools my own brain? That's right. Whoa! And are you also saying that if I'm feeling blue, all I have to do is smile to scientifically tell my brain to feel happy? Pretty much. If not full-on joy, you'll definitely feel better. And you can supercharge the good feeling if you turn that smile into a laugh. Really? Oh, yeah. See, when you smile, your face and mind relax.

causing your nervous system to relax. And then if you start laughing, your whole body's mood is boosted. Okay, smarty pants, true or false? Smiling is healthy for you. I want to say false, but I bet you're going to say true. I'm not sure. Well, the answer is coming up right after this quick break.

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Learning that's flexible, fun, and perfect for your smarty pants. That's IXL. This episode is brought to you by Squarespace. So I'll be honest, I put off building our new website for way too long. I think part of me was waiting for the perfect moment or thought I needed to hire someone or take a design course or something. Total nonsense, because then I tried Squarespace. And yeah, I was hooked in an hour.

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Okay, all smarty pants within the sound of my voice. True or false, smiling is healthy for you. I'm going true. Well done. Did you get that too, smarty listener? According to research, there are many health benefits to smiling and laughing. For example, smiling sends more oxygen to your brain, helps lower your blood pressure, and can relieve stress. Whoa.

Smarty Pants, who was it that created the hypothesis that said emotions can be transformed by changing the activity of facial muscles? Is it A, our old pal Duchenne, B, Charles Darwin of evolutionary fame, or C, the shy boy from our story earlier?

The correct answer is B, Charles Darwin. Makes sense. Charles Darwin was one of the greatest biologists in history. But seriously, I wish more people knew about the benefits of smiling. The world would be a better and happier place. Well, that's why we're talking about it now. Good point. Trusty, does everyone smile? Hmm, what do you think, smarty pants listening? Is smiling a universal language? I think this is... No, true!

It is true. Smiling links humans of all different cultures and backgrounds. It's a universal sign that can be understood even if you don't speak the same language. When your brain sees someone smiling at you, it lets you know that that person is approaching you as a friend and not as a threat. Unless it's a fake smile, of course.

Hi, my new friends. How would you like to buy a used car that runs just like new? I couldn't possibly be lying to you. See, I'm smiling. Great point, which might be why humans developed a way to detect a fake smile. Of course, not all fake smiles are to hide something bad. Sometimes you fake a smile to spare someone's feelings. I can see by your smiles you all loved my meatcake.

Uh-huh. Gotcha. So, just to recap, smiling is an involuntary action that can happen for hundreds of reasons. Check. And smiling signals to others that you're not a threat. And it takes a lot of muscles in your face and even your eyes to smile, including the...

Or be... Or be... Orbicularis oculi muscle. Nice! Check! But the orbicularis oculi muscle is also a giveaway if you're faking a smile. Check. But even if you're faking a smile, you can still make your brain happy because your brain loves smiles and it's actually healthy to do it. Great! I think you got it all. Hey!

Do you think we could change everyone who's listening's mood by smiling right now? Absolutely. Let's do it. Smarty listeners, when I count to three, I want you all to smile and then just hold it until I say to stop. If you have a mirror handy, see what your face looks like and if you can detect the lines near your eyes. But remember, that should only happen if it's a genuine or Duchenne smile.

Okay, here we go. On a one, on a two, on a three, smile. Keep smiling, keep smiling, keep smiling. My mouth is getting tired. And stop.

How does everyone feel? Was your smile fake or real? Could anyone else use a meal? Say, why do bananas have peels? I wish I had a pet seal. Um, trusty narrator, you're rhyming again. Yep, time for another walk. I'll try to smile while I talk.

A terrific triple shout out to Teddy, Vivian, and Sam in Knoxville, Tennessee. I'm so happy to hear you love Who Smarted because it makes you laugh. Well, keep on learning and laughing with us, smarty pants. This episode of Smiley was written by Taryn Smiley Schneider and voiced by Gia Smiley Pants Davis, Adam Dopamine Davis, and Jerry Colbert. Technical direction and sound design by Josh Happy Hahn.

Who Smarted? is recorded and mixed at the Relic Room Studios. Our associate producer is Max Chuckles Kamaski. The theme song is by Brian Deschenes Suarez, with lyrics written and performed by Adam Tex Davis. Who Smarted? was created and produced by Adam Tex Davis and Jerry Kolber. This has been an Atomic Entertainment production. Who Smarted?