From the kindness of strangers to a good hug to a sled dog who was the best boy, here are 25 facts to warm your heart.
1. A Forest Grows
A man in India has transformed a desolate strip of sand into a flourishing forest where tigers and deer now roam. His tree planting started in 1979 and has grown to more than 1,300 acres.
2. You Make Me Better
Falling in love makes you less critical of others. The frontal cortex, an area of the brain vital to judgment, shuts down when we're in love.
3. Girl Power
Villagers in Piplantri, India, plant 111 trees each time a baby girl is born. On average, 60 girls are born in the village every year.
4. Too CuteShutterstock
Looking at cute animal videos and pictures at work can help you to concentrate better.
5. Catch of the Day
Cats really do care. Cats believe that humans cannot hunt for themselves, and, to be helpful and teach us how to hunt, will deliver their catches to their owners.
6. Gone to the Dogs
A vending machine in Istanbul, Turkey, accepts recyclable bottles instead of money, and dispenses water and food for stray dogs.
7. Kiss and Tell
Studies show that men who kiss their wives in the morning can live up to five years longer than those who don't.
8. Pair Up
According to Swiss law, you aren't allowed to own just one guinea pig; guinea pigs are social animals and legally need to have at least one pal of their own so they don't get lonely.
9. Taking 800 for the Team
By fathering 800 babies, a 100-year-old tortoise managed to save his entire species from perishing.
10. The Travelling Cat
UK cat Artful Dodger often rides the bus to and from his home in Bridport to the neighboring town of Charmouth. Along the way, bus drivers treat him to food.
11. Lean on Me
When Gonzo, a pup who was part of a dog sled team, went blind, his brother and teammate Poncho helped him to continue his sledding career by nudging him in the right direction when needed.
12. Helpful Hands
Toddlers as young as 18 months old will almost always pitch in to help without being asked if they notice someone struggling to complete a task.
13. Team Work
In Australia, 50 commuters once joined forces to push a train to free a man whose leg was stuck between the train and the platform.
14. Eyes Wide Open
Your pupils dilate when looking at someone you love.
15. Wishful Thinking
In 2015, Levi Mayhew was six when he was granted a wish by the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Instead of accepting it for himself, the terminally ill boy wished a trip to Disneyland for his best friend. She, in turn, carried a cut-out picture of Levi on her Disney adventure.
16. Smitten
Falling in love gives you a high.
17. Love you to the Moon
Because they had no life insurance, the Apollo 11 crew of Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, the first three men on the moon, signed hundreds of autographs and gave them to family members to sell in case they passed.
18. Special Delivery
With a $100 loan (about $2,400 today) from a friend and one bicycle, two teenagers launched the delivery company UPS in 1907.
19. Not Just Something Bill Murray Does
Although was it meant to be a joke, when a couple invited Queen Elizabeth to their wedding, she actually showed up.
20. Not Forgotten Village
There’s a Dutch village created for people with dementia. The community was set up to mimic regular life but is designed to allow patients to visit grocery stores, restaurants, cafes, and gardens without feeling trapped or confused.
21. Daydreaming
Letting your mind wander makes you more productive, says Dr. Fiona Kerr, a neuron specialist at the University of Adelaide, Australia.
22. Hug it Out
Hugging for at least 20 seconds makes you feel better by increasing the feel-good hormone, oxytocin, in the body.
23. Blink, and a Year’s Gone
A man spends about a year of his life staring at women.
24. Love at First Sight
Complete strangers can fall in love with each when forced to talk and make eye contact. Couples who participated in a 90-minute experiment of sharing and then staring into each other’s eyes said they felt a deep attraction. Six months later, two of them got married.
25. You Just Need to Believe
Believing in good luck charms can help you to perform better. According to a University of Cologne study, people who believe that something is lucky are luckier.
Wikimedia Commons, Umberto Salvagnin
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