Latest news with #MichelleSpear
RTÉ News
3 days ago
- Science
- RTÉ News
Can you spot a fake smile from the real thing?
Analysis: What makes a smile feel sincere or fake is due to a surprising blend of facial anatomy, neurology and emotional authenticity By Michelle Spear, University of Bristol You've probably heard the claim that it takes more muscles to frown than to smile. It's usually framed as a feel-good reason to turn your frown upside down – less effort, more joy. But anatomically, the numbers don't quite add up. We've all seen it – the smile that doesn't quite reach the eyes. From awkward family photos to strained workplace pleasantries, our brains often detect that something is off long before we consciously realise why. From RTÉ Radio 1's Drivetime, psychotherapist Padraig O'Morain on why we need to smile more But what is it about a smile that makes it feel sincere — or fake? The answer lies in a surprising blend of facial anatomy, neurology and emotional authenticity. Not all smiles are created equal Anatomically speaking, there are at least two distinct kinds: the Duchenne smile, which reflects genuine happiness, and the non-Duchenne smile, which tends to be more social or strategic. Named after 19th-century French neurologist Guillaume Duchenne de Boulogne, the Duchenne smile activates two key muscle groups. The first group is associated with the corners of the mouth – where, for example, the risorius (from the Latin to smile) draws the corners outward and the zygomaticus major muscle lifts them. The second, and most telling, muscle is the orbicularis oculi, which tightens the muscles around the eyes, producing the familiar "crow's feet" and the gentle narrowing we associate with warmth and delight. Fake or polite smiles, on the other hand, usually involve only the mouth muscles. The eyes remain wide or indifferent, and the smile appears more mechanical than meaningful – a kind of emotional camouflage. From RTÉ Radio 1's Drivetime, Magdalena Rychlowska from the School of Psychology at Queens University Belfast on how villains use smiles Both real and fake smiles depend on cranial nerve VII, also known as the facial nerve, which sends signals from the brain to the muscles of facial expression. However, there's a key neurological difference: Duchenne smiles tend to be generated by the limbic system, the brain's emotional core – particularly the amygdala, an almond-shaped group of neurons that processes emotional salience. Non-Duchenne smiles, by contrast, are often under more conscious cortical control, originating in the motor cortex. This divide means that authentic, emotionally driven smiles are involuntary. You can't easily will your orbicularis oculi to contract convincingly unless you're genuinely feeling the emotion behind the expression. Even professional actors must tap into real memories or method techniques to produce them convincingly. From RTÉ Archives, a 1978 episode of Hall's Pictorial Weekly with regular characters Cha (Michael Twomey) and Miah (Frank Duggan) discussing a notice in a newspaper about smiling for Ireland. Why our brains notice the difference Humans are remarkably good at detecting emotional authenticity. Studies show that even infants as young as ten months can distinguish between real and fake smiles. Evolutionarily, this ability may have helped us assess trustworthiness, recognise true allies and avoid deception. The fusiform gyrus, a part of the brain involved in facial recognition, works closely with the superior temporal sulcus to decode expressions — helping us gauge intention as much as emotion. In modern life, our sensitivity to facial nuance continues to matter. Politicians, customer service workers and public figures frequently rely on the social smile to navigate complex interpersonal expectations. But observers – consciously or not – often pick up on these micro-discrepancies. From TED, Ron Gutman on the hidden power of smiling Fake smiles aren't necessarily malicious. In fact, they serve important social functions: smoothing awkward interactions, signalling politeness, defusing conflict and showing deference. They are a vital part of what sociologists call "emotional labour" – managing one's expressions to meet societal or professional expectations. But this kind of smiling, when sustained for long periods, can be emotionally exhausting. Studies of emotional labour suggest that being required to smile without genuine feeling – especially in service roles – is associated with increased stress, burnout and even cardiovascular strain. As we move further into the age of AI, synthetic faces – from chatbots to virtual assistants – are being programmed to replicate human expressions. Yet the challenge remains: how do you fake authenticity? Engineers can program a smile, but without the micro-contractions around the eyes, many of these expressions still seem disingenuous. Our own anatomy sets the gold standard. So next time you're trying to decode someone's expression, don't just look at the mouth. Watch the eyes. The orbicularis oculi rarely lies.
The Independent
17-03-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Giving blood could have surprising health benefits – and even prevent cancer
The life-saving act of giving blood may not only be beneficial to the patient but also to the donor, new research has suggested. The NHS needs 4,300 blood donations a day to meet the needs of hospitals, for both emergencies and long-term treatments. However, these donations could also be cutting the risk of several diseases for the person giving blood. Frequently giving blood encourages the body to produce fresh blood cells – contributing to healthier and more resilient blood cells. That's according to scientists at the Francis Crick Institute in London, who found that regularly donating blood could lead to a subtle genetic change which reduces the risk of developing blood cancers. Normally, blood-forming stem cells mutate as we age, which in some cases can increase the of diseases, including leukaemia – a type of blood cancer that affects around 10,000 Britons every year. However, a study published in the journal Blood identified a surprising difference in the blood of people who regularly donated. Researchers compared the blood from two groups of healthy male donors – one group donated blood three times a year for 40 years, and the other only donated five times in total. Although both groups had a similar number of genetic mutations, almost 50 per cent of the group that donated three times a year carried a mutation not linked to cancer. That's in comparison to just 30 per cent of the group that donated less. Researchers suggested that each time a person gives blood, the body produces fresh blood cells, which can alter stem cells in a beneficial way. In laboratory experiments, the blood mutations seen in the men who gave blood were different to those associated with leukaemia. Researchers injected the stem cells from frequent donors and found they were more effective at producing red blood cells than the stem cells from those who did not donate as frequently. But further research is needed to determine whether donating blood actively reduces cancer risk. Michelle Spear, professor of anatomy at the University of Bristol, explained to The Conversation: 'Each time a person donates blood the body quickly begins the process of replacing lost blood cells, triggering the bone marrow to generate fresh ones. This natural renewal process may contribute to healthier, more resilient blood cells over time.' Previous research has also linked donating blood to a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Professor Spear added that research suggests blood donation can increase insulin sensitivity, potentially reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. Regular blood donation could also help to reduce blood viscosity – how thick the blood is. This can make it easier for the heart to pump blood around the body and lower the risk of cardiovascular problems, explained Adam Taylor, professor of anatomy at Lancaster University. Donating blood 'definitely has health benefits for the donor', Professor Taylor told The Independent. 'As the study shows removing cells from the body by giving blood reduces the risk of mutations accumulating and causing disease,' he added. However, he suggested another reason why donating blood has health benefits is because every time you give blood you are given a mini health screening. As a result, conditions including infectious diseases are picked up earlier.
