Say Cheese!

I spent a little too much time last night noodling around the Science & Nature section of BBC's website and I find this so interesting. It's an interactive quiz that tests your ability to differentiate between a genuine and fake smile (you know the one you give people in the elevator?). The part I found really fascinating is that

"Most people are surprisingly bad at spotting fake smiles. One possible explanation for this is that it may be easier for people to get along if they don't always know what others are really feeling.

"Although fake smiles often look very similar to genuine smiles, they are actually slightly different, because they are brought about by different muscles, which are controlled by different parts of the brain."

I used to be a big-time fake smiler at strangers and I'm sure everyone I "smiled" at knew it! Give it a try. However, I do not recommend the quiz on disgust level unless you'd like to be subjected to images of gums infested with maggots or a seriously infected post-operative wound.