It's hump day, and even on a short week, we need a little positive pick-me-up. Let's start with: it's nice to know the universe isn't always working against us.
There is good out there. if we are willing to allow ourselves to focus on it, it may change our lives.
u/cukatie2983 asked:
What's the happiest fact you know?
Here were some of those answers.
50. Every Villain Is Lemons (E.V.I.L.)
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The fact that we are still here and have progressed as far as we have is evidence that humanity's capacity for good has so far outpaced humanity's capacity for evil.
49. That Sloth Life
Young sloths are so dopey and incompetent that while climbing, sometimes they will grab hold of their own arm or leg instead of a branch, and fall out of the tree.
48. Oh!....M.
My work colleagues and I love collective nouns and we make them up for things if one doesn't exist. My team of engineers is called an Ohm.
The ohm is defined as an electrical resistance between two points of a conductor.
One member of my Ohm is an actual train conductor in his spare time. This makes me incredibly happy.
47. It's Time To Reverse Climate Change
Scientists estimate about 5 more years until we'll be able to harness power from fusion nuclear reactors that can provide a lot of cheap and clean energy. So that picture on Reddit's popular page about the iceberg melting? We can reverse that damage.
46. A Drop More Energy, Optimism, And Perseverance
One of the happiest facts I learned was in the book The beginning of infinity by David Deutsch, that all problems are solvable, within the laws of physics. That there aren't any physical limitations between one state and another, and the only thing keeping you from solving any problem is knowing how to.
45. My Life
Life is like a "choose your adventure" book. You get to pick if you stay in bed all day or go out and seize the day.
44. AWWWWWWWWW
I asked my wife to marry me. She said yes.
She showed up to the wedding, walked down the aisle, spoke her vows and said "I DO".
Every day I wake up in the morning and she's sleeping next to me. I breathe a little easier. Super happy it wasn't all a dream.
I know that sh*t sounds sappy but it's the fact of my life.
43. YAYAYAYAY
When mammals are happy they do these things behavioural scientists call "joy jumps" which is just like straight leg bounces. They have seen that behaviour in rats a lot and use it to make sure that the tests they are doing are not harmful. Humans do joy jumps as well, more commonly as young children.
42. Honestly The Best Fact
My 9 year old son likes it when I pick him up and spin him around a bunch, hang him upside down by his ankles, flip him over my back, etc before putting him down on the couch.
My 7 year old daughter likes scissors and glue and dinosaurs and birds.
Both children are special needs, and cannot walk or talk. For the first several years, we weren't sure if my son would make it. The fact that they can now communicate what they like (and dislike) is a very happy thing.
41. The Happiest Happy Metal
There's a metal band called Freedom Call, and they're the happiest metal band you've ever heard. In pretty much every instance where they could be singing "heavy metal" in their lyrics, they sing "happy metal."
40. I'm Worthy Of This Love
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This isn't really a fact but more so a thought. Think about all the times you've fallen in love with a stranger for 5 seconds, that feeling of love for even a brief moment is something that brings you joy. Now, think about how often that happens to you and you'll realize at some point, you've been that stranger to countless people who you don't even know. Makes me smile.
39. Star Stuff
You are composed of the same stuff that stars create. You are 1;1 the same ratio of elements as what is created in most stars, and we're composed of all of that material. It makes me feel really connected to the universe when I think of that.
38. The New Renaissance
That humankind advanced more in the past 130 years than any time before that. In like the equivalent of a second, if a day was human existence. Chances are pretty good this will happen again as we continue developing. Pretty amazing, inspiring.
37. Growing On Me
That people who are given their second choice of something rather than their first end up happier with what they have than those who think they got the perfect thing off the bat. In other words, you can grow to love something, sometimes even more than the thing you thought you originally wanted.
36. Nom Nom Nom
A baby Seahorse will make a high pitch, excited squee after finding its first meal.
35. Life Mates
Albratrosses mate for life. Typically, an Albatross will be alone for long journeys through 7-10 months of the year, mostly living off of fish caught in the open sea and small islands they stop by on their journey. Each year, the Female and Male Albatrosses return to their home island to see each other. They click their beaks together and nuzzle, recognizing each other as a symbol of their love.
34. 143
Mr. Rogers always weighed 143 pounds throughout his adulthood. He equated it with I (1 letter) Love (4 letters) You (3 letters). 143.
33. Happiness At All Costs
Scientists say that if you're having a panic attack or just anxious fake a smile or laugh and your brain will think you're not stressed anymore and the panic will stop.
32. Neo With A Heart
Keanu Reeves donates millions to children's hospitals without telling the world about what a good deed he's doing. He's genuine such a nice guy and I respect his personality as much as his acting career. It's also nice to know he genuinely loves his profession. It's amazing what he's done considering all the tragedy in his life.
31. This Is Why We Don't Deserve Dogs
Dogs can smell your feelings and learn to respond accordingly.
My dog is super supportive of anyone who is crying in her vicinity. She goes over and cuddles them and tries to get her head on their chest and whatnot. Everyone, except me. If I start to cry, she goes and hides under the bed. She's lucky I love her so much, the damn mutt.
30. This Is For U, Hooman
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Cats only meow to humans and not other cats, because humans talk they think meowing is a similar way of communicating so humans understand.
29. Bye Bye Bad Games
EA is probably going to lose their rights to Star Wars very soon.
28. The 90s Didn't Kill Us
The hole in the Ozone Layer is healing, and is expected to completely disappear in 2050 <3
27. Bb
My wife is 8.5 months pregnant. I saw my baby's face (not just profile) from the sonogram yesterday. Seeing your child's face (especially for the first time) is an amazingly beautiful moment. But it's also very hard to put into words.
26. Our Alien Friends
Milky way and andromeda galaxies will collide in the future. Just imagine seeing a night sky when those two connect to each other.
25. Universal Donors
O+ blood type helps people with A+, B+. AB+, O+ blood types.
O- blood type helps people with A-/A+,B-/B+, AB-/AB+, O+/O- blood types.
SPREAD THE WORD!!!
24. Tourist Dream
There is a post office at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, because every citizen is entitled to receive mail via the USPS.
They get junk mail and Amazon packages, just like everyone else, and it's frequently taken down by mule, since vehicles can't go down there (easily). Sometimes it's flown in via helicopter.
If you go there, you can send yourself a post card from the post office down there and it will be stamped "sent from the bottom of the Grand Canyon" or something similar (I forget the actual stamp).
23. Keep Smiling
"Otters hold hands to keep from drifting apart,"
"Elephants react to us like we react to puppies,"
And "Swans can be gay,"
Are the three biggest responses in this thread. If you're just checking in, prepare for that.
But! Someone, somewhere, even if it's a stranger whose eye you happened to catch, is hoping you're happy right now. Even if it's just me, not knowing you or your life, I hope you're smiling. :)
22. Big Libra Energy
That the good always comes with the bad and vice versa. Learn to enjoy the negative times for they are what make you appreciate the good times.
21. Oh Mister Grape
Grape the Humboldt Penguin who lived in the Tobu zoo in Japan fell in love with a cardboard cutout of an anthropomorphic Humboldt Penguin that was installed in his habitat as a cross promotional event for an educational children's wildlife show. https://imgur.com/a/UcazouO
Grape would offer Hululu (the name of the character of the cutout) rocks and fish, and would spend all his time near her. When the promotion ended and all the cutouts from the show were to be removed from the zoo Grape was allowed to keep Hululu in his habitat.
Late in 2017 Grape's health began to deteriorate due to his advanced age. Grape kun was sent to a local animal hospital when it became clear there was nothing more the zoo could do for him, the zoo sent Hululu with him. Grape the Humboldt Penguin would peacefully pass away in his sleep of old age next to his fictional penguin wife.
There exists fanart of Grape-kun and Hululu. https://imgur.com/a/u4rURqP
20. Are We The Next Dinosaurs?
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That regardless of how badly we might fuck the Earth up with our selfish, short-sighted bullsh*t, life will go on. We're barely a speck on the planetary time scale, and that really needs to be more widely acknowledged and embraced.
Sometimes I wonder if the best legacy that we can hope for is to be the next fuel source that the new civilizations will fight over once they start digging underground.
If we wipe ourselves out, I sincerely hope that whatever species rises to dominance examines our moldering foundations and says: "Damn! Those guys really fucked things up! Let's not do that, okay?!"
19. Whoop!
Honeybees make a "whoop" noise when they bonk into each other. If that isn't the cutest sh*t you ever heard, I don't know what is!
My girlfriend and I love bees. I bought her a bumblebee stuffed animal when we first started dating a few years ago and we went bee crazy ever since. So much so that when we bump into each other, we both go "whoop" and laugh.
18. The Exponential Rise
Since the first animation was created to now has been a span of 200 years. However, it took us 20 years to go from 2-D hand drawn games to the Virtual reality games we have today, and spatial (3-d area movement) games were created in only about 10 years of that time. Makes me happy because you can just imagine how games in 20 years will be way better than what we even have.
17. Communication
Deaf babies will sign gibberish to their deaf parents at about the same time that a normal baby starts doing baby talk. It's really well documented that they are developing communication skills, just in a totally different way. It's adorable.
16. Dilation
That the pupils in the eyes get bigger when we gaze at someone we love.
I had to test this out for myself, so I went over to my dog Levi, and stared into his eyes in bright daylight and sure enough they widened, as I'm sure mine did too. :)
15. The Creys
When The Office employees sing 9,986,000 minutes to Michael Scott for his goodbye, that was an actual surprise for Steve Carell. His reaction was genuine.
14. People Having A Better Life
Every year for the last 20 years, more and more people around the world are being lifted from abject poverty.
And each it seems to compound.
This is why I donate to Wikipedia.
13. MOAR ENERGY
All of the solar energy the entire Earth receives comes from a spot on the sun the size of a postage stamp. Happy? Yes! Maybe eventually we'll be able to harness moar!!!
12. The Best Ewok Roles
It may be fiction, but it's still great. In Star Wars episode VI, after everything was finished and the Death Star went boom; a lot of the rebels were given an emotional support Ewok.
11. A Good Señor Woofer
My dog always pick up on my mood and will sit with his back in front of me to protect me. He doesn't even know from what. He also protects me when he is scared himself. Like new years eve. He shows me if he is annoyed or in pain. I pick up on his mood in seconds. He sleeps in front of the bedroom entrance or door to the balcony. This is also for protection. He is a mental guard dog and I love him so much.
10. We Aren't Killing Everything
Some of the animals removed from the endangered species list in the last few years due to population increases
- American Alligator
- Southern White Rhino
- Siberian Tiger
- Panda
- American Grizzly Bear
- Gray Whale
- Stellar Sea Lion
- Gray Wolf
and there's more. :)
9. Natural Eradication
The New Guinea worm, which burrows into the skin and needs to be slowly pulled out by twisting it around a small stick, is on track to be the second human disease in history to be eradicated thanks in part to the Carter Center. Cases went from 3.5 million per year in 1986 to 28 cases in 2018. This will be the first parasitic disease to be eradicated and the first to be eradicated without medication (as there's no cure) but pure education and water filtration.
8. Little Bunny FooFoo
In rabbit culture, it is considered extremely rude to pass directly in front of a relaxing rabbit without booping it on the nose. Rabbits passing each other will touch their noses together, it's how they say hello.
Rabbit social behaviors are a fascinating part of what makes them such good pets.
7. The Final Frontier
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I guess it is not inherently happy but it makes me happy thinking about it: both voyager 1 and 2 now as of 2018 are flying in interstellar space. No matter what happens to humanity now, no matter if we all perish tomorrow in a nuclear holocaust, there is still those two pieces of us floating through the stars just waiting to be discovered.
Who knows, maybe someday billions of years in the future, long since humanity has reached its end, some space faring race will come across a silly little robot looking thing the size of a school bus carrying with it a shiny little golden disk with drawings etched on the exterior of the disc showing how to play it.
Playing it, the aliens will be greeted with Bach, Beethoven, Chuck Berry, and different music from around the world. Also, they will have a small assortment of pictures showing our long dead little world. They will have soundbytes of different human greetings, and samples of our mathematics. It isn't really a lot, but it is still a small snippet of humanity floating through the vast emptiness of space just waiting for someone to find it and learn just the smallest bit of our story. We made our mark, and as small of a mark as it is, it still could very well outlast us by eons.
6. Taking Life Into Our Own Hands
A man named Jarrett Adams spent 10 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit. He spent that decade researching his case and studying the law in the prison library and was able to have his conviction successfully overturned in 2007. He then went to college to earn a Bachelor's degree and attend law school, which he graduated from in 2015.
He went on to take a case for a man wrongfully convicted 1990 and was able to get his sentence overturned as well based off wrongfully identified DNA from a hair sample the FBI gathered at the scene of the crime.
Adams now continues to find cases similar to his and uses everything in his ability to prove wrongfully convicted individuals innocent.
5. Cats Have A Staff
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Cats also domesticated themselves! They saw rodents were mostly around humans because of food storage like grains. So cats basically moved in to get to the rodents.
4. The youngest
When you were born, you were, for a moment, the youngest person on earth.
[deleted]
2. You Are My One And Only Albatross
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Albratrosses mate for life. Typically, an Albatross will be alone for long journeys through 7-10 months of the year, mostly living off of fish caught in the open sea and small islands they stop by on their journey. Each year, the Female and Male Albatrosses return to their home island to see each other. They click their beaks together and nuzzle, recognizing each other as a symbol of their love.
1. Birds Are People Too
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Green-rumped parrotlets actually give unique names to their children that they keep for their entire lives. In cases where the chicks were replaced and given to another set of parents, names given to those chicks were more reminiscent of their adopted parents than their birth parents. This indicates that different families have unique ways of giving names with slightly different sounds. All this meaning that the naming process is a learned behavior rather than being something biologically instilled, thus the parents are literally naming their children.
Not all pet owners have the same relationship with their pets.
While anyone who decides to become a pet owner, or pet parent as some say, love their pets equally, some never ever let them leave their side.
Taking their pet with them to work, running errands, even on vacations.
Many pet parents even allow their pets to share their bed with them when going to sleep.
For others though, this is where a line is finally drawn.
Redditor Piggythelavasurfer was curious to hear whether pet owners allowed their pets to share their bed with them, as well as the reasons why they do/don't, leading them to ask:
"Do you let your pet sleep in your bed? Why/why not?"
The Tiny Issue Of Water...
"Absolutely not."
"I have fish."- Senior-Meal3649
Everyone Gets Lonely Eventually...
"I adopted an eleven year old cat the day before Halloween."
"She has mostly lived in my closet since I got her, and she hasn’t been too interested in coming out."
"Last night, she came out of my closet and jumped up on my bed, and crawled under my covers and curled up by my feet to sleep."
"I was so happy!"- YellowBeastJeep
The Comforting Reminder That You're Not Alone...
"I recently lost my Greyhound but I used to let him sleep on my bed with me."
"The company was nice and he was no trouble to have on my bed."- HoodedMenace3
Hungry Cookie GIF by De Graafschap Dierenartsen
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What Do You Mean Allow?
"I have no choice."
"She is a cat, cats do whatever they want."- Small_cat1412
"He lets me sleep in my bed."- Poorly-Drawn-Beagle
Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way
"I carry my old boy upstairs to bed every night."- worst_in_show
Hug GIF by The BarkPost
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Who Needs An Alarm Clock?
"I let my two cats sleep with me."
"They're so full of love and just want cuddles all the time."
"And so do I."
"We've all developed a lil routine."
"Get to bed, oldest sleeps on my feet to keep them warm, youngest lies in my arm while I lie on my side (she the little spoon), then when I snooze my alarm for work in the morning the youngest paws at my face and meeps loudly to wake me up."- GhostofaFlea_
Whose Bed Is It Anyway?
"Yes."
"They're also kind enough to let me squeeze into whatever space they've left for me."
"Although I do get a few dirty looks off them."- Therealkaylor
"I found this tiny kitten screaming her head off under a car."
"Would not come out."
"Got some food and some water in dishes."
"I stood by the tire so she couldn't see my feet."
"She got curious about the food and water and started gobbling it down."
"I thought she would bolt when I squatted down."
"She was too busy eating."
"I grabbed her by the nape of the neck and all four legs went straight out and she tried to scratch me to death."
"I got her in the door and tossed her toward the couch."
"She ricocheted off the couch as if she was a ping pong off a table and I lost sight of her."
"I put out food and water and a sandbox and did not see that kitten for three days."
"On the third day, I came home and she was on my bed pillow."
"I thought she would bolt when I came near, but she didn't."
"I wanted to sleep so I tried to scoot her little butt off my pillow."
"She would not go."
"I put my head down to sleep and that is the way it was from then on."
"She ran the roost."- Logical_Cherry_7588
sleepy kitten GIF
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Sleeping Is A Prerequisite...
"No, he's a cat and he cannot keep still during the night."
"He walks across the headboard, opens the closet doors, jumps into the windows and rustles the blinds, etc."
"If he would sleep he could stay, but alas, he's a ramblin' man."- Spong_Durnflungle
Saying No Just Isn't An Option...
"'Let'."
"Lol."
"It's a cat's world and I'm happy to be on her good side."- milaren
Felines Only!
"The cat does, the dog doesn't and the horse certainly does not either."- Xcrowzz
Angry Tom And Jerry GIF by Boomerang Official
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Is That My Hair On That Pillow?
"My dog is perfect."
"She comes up, cuddles til we start to fall asleep, then gets down to sleep on her bed so she doesn't get too hot."
"Jumps back up in the early morning for wake up cuddles."
"The hair everywhere is the only downside but she is so cozy, what can you do."- HoodieWinchester
It is easy to understand how some people are able to fall asleep more easily knowing their friend and protector is there, in bed, with them.
Though we can't blame others who don't want to run the risk of being scratched or bitten in the middle of the night either...
The old wives' tales.
They are the stories of legend.
I think we all need a big DEEP Google dive though.
Where did they originate?
WHO ARE THE OLD WIVES!
You don't hear about them as much anymore.
It's like science and logic are suddenly a thing.
But they sure are a good way to keep your kids and their behavior in line.
Redditor the_spring_goddess wanted to discuss the tall tales we've all been fed through life, so they asked:
"What is an old wives tale that people still believe?"
"Wait an hour to swim after eating."
What a crock!
So many summer hours wasted.
I want revenge for that one.
Say Nothing
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"An undercover cop has to tell you he's a cop if you ask him."
LonelyMail5115
"Pretty much most advice when it comes to cops are old wives tales. I’m not even a cop but most of the advice you hear is pretty off."
I_AM_AN_A**HOLE_AMA
Say Something
"That you have to wait 24 hours to report someone missing."
Severe_Airport1426
"I really think this one is important and should be the top regardless. As it’s a piece of advice that needs to be relearned and the only way to do that is through awareness."
crappycurtains
"This used to be true. I think they changed it after some guy named Brandon went missing back in the '80s or '70s. You used to have to wait 24 hours if the missing person was an adult because they had 'a right to be missing' and then everyone realized that was stupid and stopped doing it."
AlbinoShavedGorilla
Body Temps
"That drinking ice cold water after eating oily foods will solidify the oil and permanently remain in your body. I informed my coworker that if your body temperature ever reached that point, you’d have bigger problems than weight gain."
chriseo22
"Oh, I have a cousin who 100% believed this. One of those guys who believed every early 2000s internet rumor and old wives tale. One night I chugged a big glass of ice water after dinner and he started freaking out and saying my guts were gonna harden."
"I sarcastically told him to drive me to the hospital if that happened. Obviously, nothing happened and the next morning I said something like 'Thanks for being on standby in case my guts filled with hardened oil.' He just walked off muttering under his breath."
apocalypticradish
Arms Down
"When I was pregnant, I was told by young and old alike that I should NOT raise my arms above my head or exert myself in such a manner because it could cause cord strangulation to my unborn sons and daughters."
Fatmouse84
10 Years Actually
Unimpressed Uh Huh GIF by Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Giphy
"Chewing gum stays in your stomach for 7 years."
"I remember accidentally swallowing a piece of gum when I was a kid in like 1995 and just accepting my fate like welp, gonna have this in my stomach til high school I guess."
Gecko-911
I was so afraid to sallow my gum when I was young.
This tale is haunting.
High/Low
Hungry Debra Messing GIF by Will & Grace
Giphy
"You can tell the sex of the baby by how you carry."
LeastFormal9366
"Pregnancy certainly wins awards for the most old wives tales. So much absolute BS was repeated to us by everyone we talked to."
IllIIIlIllIlIIlIllI
The Cursed
"If you’re a woman and you wear opal jewelry but opal is not your birthstone (October), you’ll never be able to have children, or will be widowed, or just generally have bad luck or something. You can counteract this by having a diamond in the same piece of jewelry as the opal, though."
"I have a nice opal ring that my parents gave me years ago, and I’ve had other women give me this 'advice' unprompted more than once when I’ve worn it. I have absolutely no idea where it started, but I’m pretty sure this little chunk of silicate rock has no concept of what month I was born in, let alone of how my reproductive organs work."
SmoreOfBabylon
Stay In
"Going outside with wet hair will make you get pneumonia. Or an earache. Or maybe arthritis. Depends on which old wife you listen to."
"Jokes on them - I haven't blow-dried my hair in decades and usually leave the house with wet hair in the morning. On winter mornings, the tips of my hair get frozen. No ear infections or pneumonia or arthritis yet."
worldbound0514
Dreams and Facts
"You never make anyone up in your dreams you've seen everyone in your dreams somewhere else before and never make anyone up entirely."
"How would you possibly prove that to be true? My partner adamantly believes this and tells me this 'fact' whenever I have a dream about someone I've never met before."
mattshonestreddit
"My late wife used to tell me that before she met me she would have dreams of standing at an alter on her wedding day but could never see the guy's face, no matter how hard she tried. After meeting me the face was filled in with mine. Don't know if it's true but one of those things I like thinking of every now and then when I miss her."
Darthdemented
Cracked
Getting Ready Episode 2 GIF by The Office
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"Some people still believe cracking knuckles causes arthritis."
Choice-Grapefruit-44
"There's a doctor (Donald Unger) that cracked his knuckles a couple of times a day for 60 years, but only on one hand, just to prove it. Both hands remained exactly the same."
MacyTmcterry
I love my knuckles.
Do you have any tall tales to add to the list? Let us know in the comments below.
