From fleeting grins to hearty laughs, smiles are our most universal language. What’s behind these expressions of joy, comfort and connection? Let’s take a Deep Dive.

🧬 A smile isn’t just a social signal, it’s woven into our biology and psychology.

😷 Through the pandemic, we know that you can tell if someone is smiling, even if you can’t see their smile.

😍 This simple gesture instantly boosts your mood and makes you more attractive.

👄 How a smile is construed by a receiver can depend on several things including the symmetry and openness of the smile.

17 It takes 17 muscles to smile, while it takes 43 muscles to frown.

6 Most babies start to smile in response to stimuli, such as voices and faces, when they are between six to eight weeks old. 

400 Children smile an average of 400 times a day, while adults only manage 20.

Not all smiles are created equal. How many of the 19 different types of smiles indicate happiness? 

A. 1
B. 6
C. 12

Scroll to the bottom for the answer.

According to a study by University of Wisconsin, Madison psychologist Paula Niedenthal and her colleagues, people from nations with higher levels of immigration were more expressive and more likely to interpret smiles as friendly gestures. Countries with less migration, on the other hand, tend to think of smiles as related to the social hierarchy.

🧠 The power of a smile. Smiling can alter your brain chemistry and reduce stress.

🤩 Fake it till you make it. A published study reveals that even simulating a smile can trick your brain into feeling happier.

🕵️ Real vs fake. Humans can differentiate between a genuine and a forced smile. This ability plays a crucial role in our social interactions and relationships.

🐵 Monkey to man. The smiles we know today evolved from the primate ‘fear grin’ into a welcoming signal of safety.

Ron Gutman, an inventor and serial entrepreneur, shares findings from numerous studies on smiling—including how the way you smile can indicate your lifespan.

Research has shown that deliberately smiling faces were perceived as more attractive, generous and agreeable compared to neutral expressions, demonstrating the powerful effect smiles can have on judgments of someone’s appeal.

You might have heard of smiling with your eyes, but aegyo sal is a Korean term describing the puffy area beneath the eyes—different from sleep-deprivation eye bags—that becomes more noticeable when one smiles. A sign of youth and warmth, many employ cosmetic methods or undergo surgical procedures to enhance its visibility. 

The answer to the quiz is B (6).