Ideas change everything

The hidden power of smiling

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Ron Gutman |

TED2011

• March 2011

Ron Gutman reviews a raft of studies about smiling, and reveals some surprising results. Did you know your smile can be a predictor of how long you'll live -- and that a simple smile has a measurable effect on your overall well-being? Prepare to flex a few facial muscles as you learn more about this evolutionarily contagious behavior.

Want to use TED Talks in your organization?

Want to use TED Talks in your organization?

Ron Gutman reviews a raft of studies about smiling, and reveals some surprising results. Did you know your smile can be a predictor of how long you'll live -- and that a simple smile has a measurable effect on your overall well-being? Prepare to flex a few facial muscles as you learn more about this evolutionarily contagious behavior.

Want to use TED Talks in your organization?

This talk was presented at an official TED conference.

Read our curation guidelines.

About the speaker

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Ron Gutman is an inventor, a serial technology and healthcare entrepreneur, an investor, a philanthropist and a Stanford University adjunct professor. His mission is to help everyone live happier, healthier lives.

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Smiles: A history

In a half-hour podcast from BBC Radio 4, learn how depictions of smiles evolved from the tight-lipped expressions of medieval portraits to wide grins during the dawn of photography.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference.

Read our curation guidelines.