The mood ring’s mysterious history: the invention everyone claims but nobody patented

One of the most dramatic oversights in fashion history.

Apr 26, 2025

The mood ring is a cautionary tale. – Photo credit: Canva

Every child in elementary school is familiar with the mood ring. With its inscrutable, color-changing stone and cryptic ability to “read” the wearer’s emotions, the mood ring has stood as an enigmatic symbol of self-expression since the 1970s.

Yet, ask the average American about what they know about the mood ring, and they might shrug and say that they’re a fun piece of jewelry that shifts with the user’s emotions. Or, a more astute person might propose that there is some element of body heat technology at play. However, almost no one knows how it all began or the story behind the fight for custody of the mood ring.

Hand, mood ring, emotions, history. — Where did the mood ring come from? Photo by No Revisions on Unsplash

Origins

The idea originated with an American jeweler named Marvin Wenick, who first conceived of the idea after coming across a magazine article in 1974 about the liquid crystal elements found in thermometers. Fascinated, he quickly developed a compound that changed color between two distinct ranges: black to green and blue to green, within a temperature range of 89.6°F to 100.4°F.

By 1975, he had found a way to use this “magic” compound in necklace pendants and rings. A natural salesman, he claimed that the shifting colors indicated the “warmth of the wearer’s character.” However, Wenick never patented his invention, resulting in one of the most dramatic oversights in fashion history.

Star Trek, disappointed, missed opportunity, dang — If only Wenick had patented the mood ring… Giphy

Potential customers weren’t the only ones who took notice of Wernick’s invention. Soon, two New York inventors, Joshua Reynolds and Maris Ambats, began producing their version of the temperature-sensitive jewelry, based on Wenick’s “magical compound.”

There was a distinction: Reynolds and Ambats told customers that they had created a “real biofeedback tool” that allowed the wearer to learn information about their bodies, positioning their rings as devices to help people meditate and control anxiety. (Which seems eerily similar to a few of today’s developments…)

Now inextricably linked with the self-exploration and individualism of the 1970s, sometimes referred to as the “Me Decade,” Reynolds and Ambats’ “mood rings” became a major fad in the United States.

How mood rings work

Mood rings contain a thermochromic element, which is a crystal encased in quartz or glass that changes its color based on the wearer’s body temperature. These specialized crystals are designed to react to changes in temperature, which alter their molecular structure and, consequently, the wavelengths of light (colors) they reflect. Psychologically, the idea is that one’s emotional state influences body temperature, so when it changes, its meaning will be reflected in the ring. Today, the spectrum of color has expanded far beyond Wenick’s simple black, green, and blue system.

When the mood ring rests at a neutral body temperature (typically around 98.6°F), the crystals will reflect a pretty blue-green hue. According to HowStuffWorks.com, the following colors are associated with these emotions, although they can vary from one mood ring to another.

Crystal, mood ring, science, colors, spinning — Crystals encased in quartz or glass change color according to body temperature. Giphy

Black: Significant levels of stress, tension, or anxiety. There is a deep well of emotional turmoil here, bubbling just under the surface. (This could also indicate that the crystals have been compromised.)
White: A lack of emotional clarity. This color can signify that the wearer is uncertain about how to express or process their current feelings, and is often associated with feelings of frustration, confusion, or a lack of emotional clarity.
Amber or Gold: “The appearance of an amber or gold-colored mood ring often signifies a blend of emotions, potentially encompassing a mix of feelings such as surprise, nervousness, or even a touch of upset. This color can be a reflection of the wearer’s internal turmoil as they navigate a complex emotional landscape.“
Pink: “The appearance of a pink mood ring is often linked to the initial stages of arousal, interest, or a sense of emotional uncertainty. This color can suggest that the wearer is experiencing a heightened state of emotional vulnerability or a newfound sense of attraction or curiosity.“
Red: “The presence of a red mood ring is typically associated with high-energy emotions, such as passion, anger, or even fear. This intense color can be a reflection of the wearer’s heightened state of arousal, whether it be in the context of romantic love, intense frustration, or a surge of adrenaline.“
Blue: “The presence of a blue mood ring is often interpreted as a sign of happiness, joy, and a generally positive emotional state. This color can suggest that the wearer is feeling upbeat, sociable, and in a state of emotional equilibrium.“
Purple: “A purple mood ring is frequently associated with a sense of clarity, purpose, and spiritual insight. This color can signify that the wearer is in touch with their higher self, tapping into their intuition and creativity to navigate their emotional landscape with a renewed sense of direction and understanding.“

Debunked

So, some unfortunate bad news. Mood rings are not scientifically factual. Why? Let’s debunk.

First off, mood rings measure temperature, not emotion. While emotions can influence body temperature, the ring’s color shifts are more likely to be affected by other factors, such as environmental temperature, physical activity, health conditions, and caffeine intake. Also, the color guide (above) is fun but completely arbitrary. There have never been any scientific studies on whether the corresponding colors have anything to do with their associated internal emotions.

Bill Nye, science — Unfortunately, mood rings are not backed by the power of science. Giphy

The end of the story

Back to the “one of the most dramatic oversights in fashion history.” The mood ring is a cautionary tale. When mood rings hit the market in 1975, the public went wild, with Joshua Reynolds and Maris Ambats selling an astonishing 40 million rings in just three months. They had the ingenious idea to start selling the rings at a premium, with silver-banded versions priced at $45 and gold-banded versions costing $250 ($1,400 today). By the end of the year, their total sales had reached $15 million.

Yes, the original creator, Marvin Wenick, was mad, but Reynolds and Ambats were even more upset in the end. They also had failed to patent the mood ring, the very fatal error that had allowed them to steal the creation in the first place. By the onset of 1976, just as sales were peaking, the market became oversaturated with cheap knock-offs and demanded plummeted, leaving companies with stockhouses full of unsold inventory. What goes around comes back around. Perhaps they should have consulted their mood ring first?

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Youth-led party for community engagement, MEDEA, Tanzania Captured by James Roh for Pura

Culture, Education, Empowered Women, Equality, Family, Identity, Modern Families

The next generation of female leaders has arrived. Here’s how they’re making sure they (and every girl) get a chance to learn.

Malala Fund and their local partners, with support from Pura, help girls find their voice. The result: greater access to education and a better world.

Sarah Watts

3/8/2026

Music, community and joy drive real change

In a small village in Pwani, a district on Tanzania’s coast, a massive dance party is coming to a close. For the past two hours, locals have paraded through the village streets, singing and beating ngombe drums; now, in a large clearing, a woman named Sheilla motions for everyone to sit facing a large projector screen. A film premiere is about to begin.

It’s an unusual way to kick off a film about gender bias, inequality, early marriage, and other barriers that prevent girls from accessing education in Tanzania. But in Pwani and beyond, local organizations supported by Malala Fund and funded by Pura are finding creative, culturally relevant ways like this one to capture people’s interest.

The film ends and Sheilla, the Communications and Partnership Lead for Media for Development and Advocacy (MEDEA), stands in front of the crowd once again, asking the audience to reflect: What did you think about the film? How did it relate to your own experience? What can we learn?

Sheilla explains that, once the community sees the film, “It brings out conversations within themselves, reflective conversations.” The resonance and immediate action create a ripple effect of change.

MEDEA Screening Audience in Tanzania. Captured by James Roh for Pura

Across Tanzania, gender-based violence often forces adolescent girls out of the classroom. This and other barriers — including child marriage, poverty, conflict, and discrimination — prevent girls from completing their education around the world.

Sheilla and her team are using film and radio programs to address the challenges girls face in their communities. MEDEA’s ultimate goal is to affirm education as a fundamental right for everyone, and to ensure that every member of a community understands how girls’ education contributes to a stronger whole and how to be an ally for their sisters, daughters, granddaughters, friends, nieces, and girlfriends.

Sheilla’s story is one of many that inspired Heart on Fire, a new fragrance from the Pura x Malala Fund Collection that blends the warm, earthy spices of Tanzania with a playful, joyful twist. Here’s how Pura is using scent as a tool to connect the world and inspire action.

A partnership focused on local impact, on a global mission

Pura, a fragrance company that recognizes education as both freedom and a human right, has partnered with Malala Fund since 2022. In order to defend every girl’s right to access and complete 12 years of education, Malala Fund partners with local organizations in countries where the educational barriers are the greatest. They invest in locally-led solutions because they know that those who are closest to the problems are best equipped to solve and build durable solutions, like MEDEA, which works with communities to challenge discrimination against girls and change beliefs about their education.

But local initiatives can thrive and scale more powerfully with global support, which is why Pura is using their own superpower, the power of scent, to connect people around the world with the women and girls in these local communities.

The Pura x Malala Fund Collection incorporates ingredients naturally found in Tanzania, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Brazil: countries where Malala Fund operates to address systemic education barriers. Eight percent of net revenue from the Pura x Malala Fund Collection will be donated to Malala Fund directly, but beyond financial support, the Collection is also a love letter to each unique community, blending notes like lemon, jasmine, cedarwood, and clove to transport people, ignite their senses, and help them draw inspiration and hope from the global movement for girls’ education. Through scent, people can connect to the courage, joy, and tenacity of girls and local leaders, all while uniting in a shared commitment to education: the belief that supporting girls’ rights in one community benefits all of us, everywhere.

You’ve already met Sheilla. Now see how Naiara and Mama Habiba are building unique solutions to ensure every girl can learn freely and dare to dream.

Naiara Leite is reimagining what’s possible in Brazil

Julia with Odara in Brazil. Captured by Luisa Dorr for Pura

In Brazil, where pear trees and coconut plantations cover the Northeastern Coast, girls like ten-year-old Julia experience a different kind of educational barrier than girls in Tanzania. Too often, racial discrimination contributes to high dropout rates among Black, quilombola and Indigenous girls in the country.

“In the logic of Brazilian society, Black people don’t need to study,” says Naiara Leite, Executive Coordinator of Odara, a women-led organization and Malala Fund partner. Bahia, the state where Odara is based, was once one of the largest slave-receiving territories in the Americas, and because of that history, deeply-ingrained, anti-Black prejudice is still widespread. “Our role and the image constructed around us is one of manual labor,” Naiara says.

But education can change that. In 2020, with assistance from a Malala Fund grant, Odara launched its first initiative for improving school completion rates among Black, quilombola, and Indigenous girls: “Ayomidê Odara”. The young girls mentored under the program, including Julia, are known as the Ayomidês. And like the Pura x Malala Fund Collection’s Brazil: Breath of Courage scent, the Ayomidês are fierce, determined, and bursting with energy.

Ayomidês with Odara in Brazil. Captured by Luisa Dorr for Pura

Ayomidês take part in weekly educational sessions where they explore subjects like education and ethnic-racial relations. The girls are encouraged to find their own voices by producing Instagram lives, social media videos, and by participating in public panels. Already, the Ayomidês are rewriting the narrative on what’s possible for Afro-Brazilian girls to achieve. One of the earliest Ayomidês, a young woman named Debora, is now a communications intern. Another former Ayomidê, Francine, works at UNICEF, helping train the next generation of adolescent leaders. And Julia has already set her sights on becoming a math teacher or a model.

“These are generations of Black women who did not have access to a school,” Naiara says. “These are generations of Black women robbed daily of their dreams. And we’re telling them that they could be the generation in their family to write a new story.”

Mama Habiba is reframing the conversation in Nigeria

Centre for Girls' Education, Nigeria. Captured by James Roh for Pura

In Mama Habiba’s home country of Nigeria, the scents of starfruit, ylang ylang and pineapple, all incorporated into the Pura x Malala Collection’s “Nigeria: Hope for Tomorrow,” can be found throughout the vibrant markets. Like these native scents, Mama Habiba says that the Nigerian girls are also bright and passionate, but too often they are forced to leave school long before their potential fully blooms.

“Some of these schools are very far, and there is an issue of quality, too,” Mama Habiba says. “Most parents find out when their children are in school, the girls are not learning. So why allow them to continue?”

When girls drop out of secondary school, marriage is often the alternative. In Nigeria, one in three girls is married before the age of 18. When this happens, girls are unable to fulfill their potential, and their families and communities lose out on the social, health and economic benefits.

Completing secondary school delays marriage, and according to UNESCO, educated girls become women who raise healthier children, lift their families out of poverty and contribute to more peaceful, resilient communities.

Centre for Girls’ Education, Nigeria. Captured by James Roh for Pura

To encourage young girls to stay in school, the Centre for Girls’ Education, a nonprofit in Nigeria founded by Mama Habiba and supported by Malala Fund and Pura, has pioneered an initiative that’s similar to the Ayomidê workshops in Brazil: safe spaces. Here, girls meet regularly to learn literacy, numeracy, and other issues like reproductive health. These safe spaces also provide an opportunity for the girls to role-play and learn to advocate for themselves, develop their self-image, and practice conversations with others about their values, education being one of them. In safe spaces, Mama Habiba says, girls start to understand “who she is, and that she is a girl who has value. She has the right to negotiate with her parents on what she really feels or wants.”

“When girls are educated, they can unlock so many opportunities,” Mama Habiba says. “It will help the economy of the country. It will boost so many opportunities for the country. If they are given the opportunity, I think the sky is not the limit. It is the starting point for every girl.”

From parades, film screenings to safe spaces and educational programs, girls and local leaders are working hard to strengthen the quality, safety and accessibility of education and overcome systemic challenges. They are encouraging courageous behavior and reminding us all that education is freedom.

Experience the Pura x Malala Fund Collection here, and connect with the stories of real girls leading change across the globe.

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How and when to politely change the subject of conversation. – Photo credit: Canva

People Skills, Science

Experts explain exactly how, and when, to tactfully change the subject of a conversation

Should a conversation always be interesting and meaningful for both people?

Evan Porter

3/18/2026
We’re all familiar with the feeling of being “trapped” in a conversation. It might be because the other person won’t stop talking long enough for you to get a word in edgewise. Or maybe the topic of conversation just bores us. Worse, perhaps it makes us uncomfortable, and we can’t figure out a good way to change the subject without coming off as rude.

A massive debate on this topic recently unfolded on X. Some users argued that a good conversation should always be interesting and engaging to all parties, while others maintained that showing genuine interest in what others have to say (even if it doesn’t really interest you) is a key element of socializing.

It’s possible that both sides are right. Experts say changing the subject doesn’t have to be curt or selfish.

In fact, a great conversationalist understands that artfully pivoting is the key to maintaining an interaction that’s enjoyable for both parties. The key is understanding both when it’s time to “smile and nod,” and when and how to steer the conversation in a new direction.

Why it feels scary or hard to change the subject

Changing the subject can be harder for some people than for others. Photo credit: Canva

Dr. Kelly Gonderman, a clinical director and licensed clinical psychologist at We Conquer Together, tells Upworthy that changing the subject is one of the social skills her clients struggle with most.

“In my clinical work, the inability to redirect a conversation is rarely about rudeness or poor communication. It’s almost always about anxiety, people-pleasing, or a fear of conflict rooted in early relational experiences,” she says. “The nervous system registers social disapproval as threat, which means steering away from a painful or triggering topic can feel physiologically dangerous even when it’s entirely reasonable.”

Unfortunately, people who have difficulty setting boundaries in conversation may also struggle to maintain boundaries in other areas of their lives.

“They’ve learned that their discomfort is less important than keeping others comfortable,” she says.

Experts give tips and scripts for how to tactfully change the subject

One user on X sparked debate when they suggested a rather blunt and direct shifting of gears: “I’m sorry, it’s not really my thing, I don’t understand the importance of this and I can’t contribute to the conversation.”

It’s a fair and reasonable boundary to hold, but it’s likely to alienate or deflate your conversation partner because it’s missing a few key elements of a great pivot.

Amy Arias, senior lecturer of communications studies at the University of Nevada, Reno, tells Upworthy: “The key to changing the subject tactfully is to acknowledge what the person said before redirecting. People mainly want to feel heard, and once that happens, most conversations can move on naturally.”

Here are a few scripts to try out:
- “That’s a good point. It actually reminds me…”
- “I hear what you’re saying. Speaking of that…”
- “That sounds intense. On a lighter note…”
In each of these instances, you’ve acknowledged the speaker and what they were saying in a positive way before attempting to move the conversation into new territory.

@justaskjefferson
or just try, “crazy weather we’re having.”
♬ original sound – Jefferson Fisher

You could also try using humor to deflect the tension around your attempted pivot, with a segue that’s so jarring your conversation partner can’t help but laugh: “Speaking of politics, who’s hungry?”

Arias adds that, no, a good conversation doesn’t always have to be interesting or engaging for both parties all the time. It’s more about reciprocity and making sure each person gets a turn to be heard.

“Good conversation is more about reciprocity and turn-taking than constant fascination,” Arias says. “In healthy conversations, people take turns being the storyteller and the listener, but it’s also okay to redirect when a topic feels draining, awkward, or just not a great fit.”

“Ultimately, changing the subject gracefully is really about reading the room and protecting the flow of the interaction,” she adds. “A thoughtful topic shift isn’t rude, it’s often what keeps conversations comfortable, inclusive, and enjoyable for everyone.”

Why being a great conversationalist goes beyond the script

Gonderman says that, though having a few canned lines up your sleeve can help, being able to confidently redirect a conversation may require deeper work.

“The fix isn’t a script,” she says. “It’s building enough internal safety to trust that your need to redirect is valid.”

That could require something as simple as some breathwork or grounding techniques, or more advanced interventions like therapy to get to the root issues of your social anxiety.

There are a lot of reasons you might not be comfortable continuing a given line of conversation. It could be political, too personal, too taboo, or just plain uninteresting to you. It takes a person who’s quite sure of themselves to use a brief, direct pivot like “I want to shift gears,” “On a different note …,” or even “I’d rather not get into that right now.”

It’s best to acknowledge and make the other person feel heard before pivoting, but some people, well, just won’t take a hint. That’s when more direct methods might be called for.

Human conversations are an incredibly intricate dance. They’re an exchange of information, a building block of relationships, and an emotional back-and-forth all rolled into one. The finer aspects of navigating them tactfully don’t always come naturally to us and sometimes require preparation and practice.
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Doctors reassure menopausal women about the female version of "shrinkage." – Photo credit: Canva

Health, Science

Doctors rush to reassure menopausal women about the female version of ‘shrinkage’

So many women are surprised when parts start disappearing down there.

Jacalyn Wetzel

3/18/2026

In recent years, women have become more open about what happens leading up to and during menopause. As a result of this public sharing, younger women are learning about a shocking possible side effect of depleted estrogen: the shrinking, and in some cases the disappearance, of the labia.

As our parents prepare us for adulthood, some things slip through the cracks. We learn about puberty, how babies are conceived, and then the conversation stops. One area with a large information-sharing gap is the process of menopause. This lack of information puts both women and the people who love them at a disadvantage. It can leave people confused and frustrated.

A woman fans herself. Photo credit: Canva

Perimenopause, which is the time leading up to menopause, is not a short process. Hormone levels can begin to fluctuate widely as early as a woman’s 30s. At the same time, the average age of menopause is about 51, though it can occur as late as 60, according to the American Medical Association.

The Cleveland Clinic explains that “Menopause is a point in time when a person has gone 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period.” It is a natural part of the aging process for women, but for decades, if not centuries, the menopausal experience has been shrouded in coded language and silence. Not anymore.

A woman looks stressed. Photo credit: Canva

The habit of Millennials seeking community in online spaces is opening the blackout curtains on the taboo subject. This has led to honest conversations about what happens when women go through “the change,” and the revelation about shrinking labia is causing a bit of panic.

Labia are the outer visible anatomy of the female genitalia, consisting of the labia minora and labia majora. This tissue protects the urethra, vaginal opening, and other sensitive areas from infection and friction, Dr. Somi Javaid, OB-GYN and founder of HerMD, tells The Flow Space.

So the idea of losing them due to a lack of estrogen has some women calling for a timeout as they try to process this previously unheard-of information. Several of these women took to social media to seek clarity and support.

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“So nobody was going to tell me that one day I could lose my coochie lips?” one woman asks in an Instagram video. “That one day, my bean could just decide to clock out for the rest of my life? Why aren’t the older women sharing with us? Why aren’t the elders sharing this with us, cause this lady got on here and said if you start your estrogen early when you first go through menopause, you can save your lips.”

“I just saw this post of this doctor lady explaining that your labia minora grows during puberty, and then you lose it in menopause,” another concerned woman says in a TikTok video. “Come again? You’re telling me…is it…where does it go? Where is it gonna…does it just…I have so many questions. Does it just…one day I’m gonna wake up, and I’m gonna have no labias? Does it slowly disappear?”

@rachelelizabethx0
I swear we can’t have ANYTHING 😭😭😭 #onthisday
♬ original sound – Rachel Elizabeth

These were not the only people concerned. Video after video showed women, and some men, flabbergasted and concerned about the mystery of the disappearing labia. Commenters were equally freaked out. All of this open confusion and fear created a perfect learning opportunity. OB-GYNs, urologists, and other medical professionals took to their own platforms to ease people’s stress about the process.

Dr. Sally Doust, a women’s health specialist, explains:

“So yes, the labia can shrink around menopause, and this is because estrogen levels are dropping, and this affects the tissues. The good thing is, you can prevent it. Start vaginal estrogen really early, as soon as you start to notice any of these changes, and it improves blood flow, elasticity, and lubrication, relieves dryness and soreness.”

@womenofvoy
Can your labia change around perimenopause and menopause? Yes and no one really talks about it!!! As oestrogen levels drop during perimenopause and menopause, vulval and vaginal tissues can become thinner, drier and lose elasticity. Some women even notice their labia shrinking, which can feel worrying if you’re not expecting it. The good news? Vaginal oestrogen can help. Used early, it supports blood flow, elasticity and lubrication, and can relieve dryness, soreness and discomfort. It’s a safe, local treatment and can be used long-term. If you notice changes, you don’t have to ignore them, support exists 💛 #perimenopause #menopause #HRT #womenshealth #hormones
♬ original sound – womenofvoy

Doctors and nurses online continue to reassure viewers that, while it sounds scary, vaginal estrogen can prevent it. One urologist explains that after women go through menopause, their estrogen levels are lower than those of men. This drop in estrogen causes structural changes in the labia, which can also lead to adhesions and pain.

“Let’s be clear: you do not lose your labia, but the tissues do undergo significant and visible changes,” says Dr. Mary Claire Haver, a menopause specialist. She adds, “The labia minora may shrink, flatten, or adhere to adjacent tissues. The labia majora can sag or retract due to tissue thinning.” She also says that prescription estrogen is the only way to prevent the issue.

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Major weight loss comes with some surprises. – Photo credit: Canva

Health, Science

People share things they didn’t realize until they lost weight, and it’s eye-opening

There are some unexpected learnings that come with a change in size.

Annie Reneau

3/18/2026

In an era when both obesity and “heroin chic” trends are growing concerns, weight loss can be a touchy topic. Society’s ever-changing views on body size are worthy of their own discussion, of course. But as the link between obesity and health risks has been well-established, the reality is that many adults want and need to lose weight for health reasons.

People who are looking to lose weight know to expect certain things—an increased focus on nutrition and exercise, for example. Some weight loss journeys might include surgery or GLP-1 medications, which have exploded in recent years. But some parts of the journey can still take people by surprise, especially as they get closer to their goal.

So when someone asked on Reddit “What is something you didn’t realize until you lost weight?” thousands of responses poured in. While everyone’s experience is unique, the common themes are eye-opening.

What is something you didn’t realize until you lost weight?
byu/Cultural-Profile-527 inAskReddit

Temperature tolerance changes

Many people shared that they felt colder after losing weight. Body fat acts as an insulator, so losing it can make people more sensitive to cold temperatures. Changes in metabolism and hormones that accompany weight loss can also temporarily make you feel cold. However, nutritional deficiencies can cause similar symptoms, so it may be worth checking with your doctor if it becomes a concern.

“How well the fat insulates heat. On the positive note, I can tolerate hot and humid weather much better now. But I have to wear a lot of extra layers when it is cold, and I don’t enjoy swimming in the sea anymore even in height of summer, because it is too cold all the time (I am in the UK).”

“Oh man, so true, I’m still a big person but much smaller than I was and in winter I’m shaking like a Chihuahua, even with a lot of layers on.”

wanna know the most ANNOYING side effect of losing weight? i’m cold ALL the time. 72 degrees has me in a hoodie and i don’t like that 😂
— Dustin Dailey (@ThreeDailey) February 28, 2024

“Absolutely correct! I get frustrated at how easily I get cold now. It was not something I anticipated.”

“Same, I absolutely cannot tolerate the cold anymore. But warm weather is much easier to cope with, so it’s not a bad tradeoff.”

“I lost 6 stone last year and this winter has been COLD but I’m looking forward to not being a gross sweaty mess this summer!”

Armpits are pits

Armpits are just arm pits, right? Not necessarily. When extra fat in that area fills in the hollow, it doesn’t appear as much of a “pit.” Losing weight revealed the actual pit feature for some folks.

“That your armpits are actually pits, they’re not just called that. When you’re fat, you just have underarms.”

“Just got here. Asked my wife why she was staring at me oddly, she said my pits were hollow.”

@amber_c_fitness
Replying to @Julie 💙 omg yes! #weightlossmotivation #beforeandafter #weightlossresults #weightlosstransformation #weightloss
♬ What Was I Made For? [From The Motion Picture “Barbie”] – Billie Eilish

“From my all time heaviest I am down 90 pounds to 279 as of this morning. For about a month I’ve really been feeling the pits come in…lol. The joy this brought was very surprising.”

“Fair warning: now I have pits I absolutely cannot figure out the right angles to shave at anymore lmao. A blessing and a curse. A blurse.”

“Yes!! I have to change how I shaved them.”

Feeling your bones

When you become accustomed to having a layer of cushion around your body, losing it can be disconcerting—especially when you start feeling hard, knobby things that you might mistake for growths of some kind.

“I fairly recently lost 50 lbs. Imagine my surprise when I scheduled a doctors appointment thinking there was some sort of tumor in my chest only for them to tell me I have bones.”

“I’ve lost 50kg. I panicked when I felt my sternum.”

“Yes! I felt this with my chest. 😂😭 I thought I had some kind of chest cancer lump. This is the part of weight loss I did not expect.”

losing weight and start feeling bones you’ve never felt before
— ari 🪽 (@cherubineom) February 12, 2026

“I was very muscular in high school. Then gained a bunch of weight in college. Then lost the weight (and a fair bit of muscle) a few years after that. One day I thought I felt a lump in my boob and panicked. Turns out it was a rib that had been previously covered in muscle or fat.”

“I’m so glad I’m not the only one 🤣 I once went to the doctor thinking I had breast cancer. The doctor asked me if I had recently lost a lot of weight, then explained I was feeling my ribs.”

“When I lost 100 lbs and all of a sudden I could feel like wtf there’s actually a spooky skeleton inside me I would just sit there grabbing bones in bewilderment and mild horror.”

People treat you differently

Perhaps the hardest realization people shared was how being overweight had made them invisible to so many. A lot of commenters said people became nicer to them after they lost weight. That’s food for thought for all of us.

“How much nicer people are. As someone who’s lost and gained and lost again, it’s something I’ve noticed. People aren’t noticeably rude or dismissive to me as a bigger person, it’s more like they just don’t really acknowledge you. The world is just nicer when you’re smaller.”

“I’m male. I lost 140 lb and got fit in my mid-40s after living all my late teen and adult years being 300+. That was almost a decade ago. I can honestly say that everything in this thread has been, to some degree, true for me as well, but the most startling has been the way people react to me. It’s unbelievable. Male or female, stranger or acquaintance or friend, passing or casual or business, I’m treated differently. It’s like stepping into another reality and also makes me sad for all those years. Sure, I was fat, but man, I was treated like a subspecies.”

“Yes. I didn’t even realize how much being a fat woman over 40 negatively impacted me professionally until I lost 70 pounds right after Covid. My income more than doubled within a year. It has now nearly tripled. Is it partly because of increased confidence on my part? Probably. Does that explain it entirely? Probably not.”

“My least favorite experience with significant weight loss was experiencing ‘pretty privilege’ for the first time, realizing how mean people had been all my life, and why.”

“I’ve been losing weight and exercising regularly, and suddenly women are interested in me again. I knew logically that humans have a general preference for people of a healthy weight, but I feel like I’ve crossed some threshold of no longer being invisible to them. Wild.”

“I was telling my dad how it blew my mind how differently I was treated and he almost couldn’t believe the difference I was describing.”

Having energy

Carrying excess weight is physically demanding and requires extra energy for everyday activities. Obesity and sleep problems are also linked, often leading to fatigue. Many people found that their exhaustion eased and that they felt much more energetic after losing weight.

“That being tired all the time isn’t normal and I have a lot more energy to get things done than I thought.”

Losing weight is never fun.

But life is so much better after you lost it, because it improves your health, increases your energy levels, and makes you look, feel and perform better.
— P.D. Mangan Health & Freedom Maximalist 🇺🇸 (@Mangan150) September 9, 2025

“When people ask me what I feel like after losing 120lbs, the best explanation I can come up with is that I didn’t realize how sick and miserable I felt all the time until I didn’t feel sick and miserable all the time.

The energy, the aches, the poor sleep, the brain fog…i frog boiled myself into that being my new normal, and now it’s all gone and I can’t believe that’s how I lived for so many years.”

“It’s crazy how many people think constant exhaustion is just ‘normal life’ until they finally fix whatever’s causing it. Feels like getting a whole different version of your day back.”

“It’s crazy how easy it is to assume that’s just your normal baseline. Then you lose weight and you find that you’ve been running on hard mode the entire time. And after losing weight I felt like I had superpowers…”

These revelations are a good reminder of how much of a difference focusing on health can make in our own lives—and how much kindness can make a difference for others.

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Health, Science

A former CIA officer was asked for the one spy trick everyone should know. His answer has nothing to do with espionage.

Andrew Bustamante spent years as a covert CIA officer reading people for a living.

Adam Albright-Hanna

3/17/2026

Andrew Bustamante (@Andrew-Bustamante) spent years as a covert CIA intelligence officer. When Lex Fridman asked him to name the single most useful spy trick that anyone could apply to their everyday life, his answer wasn’t about surveillance, or reading body language, or disappearing off the grid.

It was about how you see other people.

The clip, from Episode 310 of the Lex Fridman Podcast, originally recorded in August 2022, has been recirculating widely since Bustamante published his memoir “Shadow Cell” with his wife and fellow CIA officer Jihi Bustamante in September 2025, which debuted at number eight on the New York Times bestseller list. His follow-up book, “Everyday Espionage: Winning the Workplace,” applies the same intelligence tradecraft directly to professional life. The perception versus perspective clip is one of the reasons people keep finding him.

Here’s the distinction he draws, as he explained to Fridman and as YourTango reported in covering the exchange. Perception is how each of us interprets the world around us. It’s personal, it’s filtered, and it’s entirely our own. There’s nothing wrong with it, but the problem is that most people treat their perception as objective reality and then spend enormous energy trying to convince everyone else of it. “That’s why so many people find themselves arguing all the time,” Bustamante said, “trying to convince other people of their own perception.”

Perspective is different. It’s not just feeling what someone else feels, which Bustamante distinguishes from empathy. It’s actively placing yourself in someone else’s position and asking what their life actually looks like. What did they wake up worried about? What are they afraid of? What pressures are they carrying that you can’t see? “Perspective is the act or the art of observing the world from outside of yourself,” he told Fridman. “You sit in the seat of the person opposite you and think to yourself, ‘What is their life like?’”

The intelligence application is obvious. An officer who can only see a situation through their own cultural and personal lens is going to miss things. One who can genuinely inhabit another person’s point of view, their incentives, their fears, their constraints, is going to understand things that others don’t. But Bustamante’s point is that this skill doesn’t stay in the field.

“If you do that to your boss, it’s gonna change your career,” he said. “If you do that to your spouse, it’s gonna change your marriage. If you do that to your kids, it’s gonna change your family legacy. Because nobody else out there is doing it.”

That last line is the part that tends to land. Most interpersonal friction, whether in a marriage, a workplace, or a friendship, comes not from bad intentions but from two people each arguing from their own perception without pausing to genuinely inhabit the other’s. Bustamante is saying the CIA trains people to close that gap, and that closing it is available to anyone who practices it deliberately.

The comment sections on the viral clips reflect how directly this lands for people. “He just put it into words for me,” one viewer wrote. Another added that taking on multiple perspectives is “a way to find useful truths and do skillful systems analysis.” The observation isn’t new, but something about hearing it framed as tradecraft, as a skill that professionals train for rather than a platitude, seems to give it traction.

Bustamante runs his own platform, Everyday Spy, where he teaches intelligence-based skills for civilian use. His core argument, across the podcast appearances and the books, is that 95% of what CIA officers are trained to do applies directly to ordinary life. The perception versus perspective shift, he says, is where most people could start.

This article originally appeared earlier this year.

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Health, Science

An ER nurse shares the four essential medical skills everyone needs to learn but never talks about

Accidents and medical emergencies happen every day, but, unfortunately, many Americans do not feel prepared to jump into action when they do. According to a poll from the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), most Americans report feeling comfortable calling 911 and speaking with dispatchers. However, the number drops to just 55% for life-saving CPR—and…

Emily Shiffer

3/15/2026

Accidents and medical emergencies happen every day, but, unfortunately, many Americans do not feel prepared to jump into action when they do.

According to a poll from the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), most Americans report feeling comfortable calling 911 and speaking with dispatchers. However, the number drops to just 55% for life-saving CPR—and only 46% feel comfortable applying a tourniquet.

Without medical training, confidence wanes and fear likely sets in for the average civilian. And since first responders may not be present when a medical emergency happens, an emergency room nurse with 11 years of experience shared their medical insights with the average person on Reddit.

They explained four essential medical skills everyone should know that could potentially save someone’s life.

“I know everyone wants the dramatic skills,” they wrote. “But these four things, done correctly, will genuinely make a difference in the scenarios most of us are actually likely to face.”

Medical skill #1: Wound packing and pressure

Learning how to pack wounds and apply pressure is the most important medical skill civilians should know, according to the ER nurse. These skills are more important than learning how to suture.

“Suturing a wound that isn’t fully clean can trap infection inside and make things significantly worse,” they wrote. “What saves lives in the field is knowing how to pack a deep wound with gauze and hold real pressure for long enough.”

They explained that most people apply only one-fifth of the pressure actually needed to help.

“Most people stop after 2 minutes. You need at least 10, sometimes more,” they added. “This one skill has a higher chance of keeping someone alive until they can get real help than almost anything else on the average prep list.”

Medical skill #2: Recognizing shock

The next most important medical skill people should learn is how to recognize shock, which, according to the nurse, is “not just ‘they look pale.’”

“I mean understanding the progression: restlessness and anxiety first, then skin changes, then the dangerous drop in blood pressure that most people think comes first,” they explained. “By the time someone looks classically ‘shocky’ you’re already behind. Learning the early signs gives you a real window to act.”

Medical skill #3: Splinting, not setting

Next up is dealing with possible bone breaks. The ER nurse emphasizes that people should absolutely not try to set broken bones. Instead, they should know how to splint them.

“Splint them where they are, immobilize the joint above and below the break, and focus on getting the person calm and still,” they shared. “A bad reduction attempt can damage nerves and vessels in ways that are very hard to fix later.”

Medical skill #4: Medication interactions and allergy documentation

Finally, the fourth medical skill recommended by the ER nurse is knowing which medications (including dosages) family members or close friends take, as well as any allergies they may have, in case of a medical emergency.

“Keep a physical list. Not just in your phone. Know what everyone in your household takes, the doses, and any known allergies,” the nurse explained. “In a chaotic situation this single piece of paper can prevent a serious medication error if someone else has to help you.”

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Voltaire and a smart young woman. – Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons and Canva

People Skills, Science

The one sign that someone is highly intelligent, according to legendary philosopher Voltaire

Voltaire was an 18th-century French philosopher, writer, and one of the most important voices of the Enlightenment. His works challenged authoritarianism and championed freedom of religion and speech. His beliefs in civil liberties and individualism inspired American revolutionaries such as Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin, helping shape the ideals behind the Declaration of Independence. Julian…

Tod Perry

3/13/2026

Voltaire was an 18th-century French philosopher, writer, and one of the most important voices of the Enlightenment. His works challenged authoritarianism and championed freedom of religion and speech. His beliefs in civil liberties and individualism inspired American revolutionaries such as Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin, helping shape the ideals behind the Declaration of Independence.

Julian de Medeiros, a popular TikToker who also writes about philosophy on Substack, recently shared how Voltaire could tell whether someone was highly intelligent. His observation suggests that sometimes those who don’t speak know far more than those who can’t keep their mouths shut.

Signs that someone is highly intelligent, according to Voltaire

“Here’s how you know that someone is smart, like highly intelligent, and this goes back to a simple maxim from the French thinker Voltaire, who wrote, ‘Judge a man not by his answers but by his questions,’” de Medeiros said in a TikTok video.

@julianphilosophy
Simple sign of intelligence #intelligence #smart #wisdom #growth
♬ original sound – Julian de Medeiros

“What he meant, and I think this is so important, is that the more intelligent someone is, the more they listen. The more they want to learn and grow each and every day. They have an innate curiosity,” he continued. “As Plato put it, ‘An intelligent person speaks when they have something to say, but an unintelligent person speaks because they have nothing to say.’”

An intelligent person also knows how to ask the right questions to learn as much as possible from the person they are talking to.

A teacher writing on the blackboard. Photo credit: Canva

Studies show a deep connection between intelligence and curiosity

Voltaire’s thoughts on intelligence make a lot of sense. Curious people seek out new information. They ask questions, read books, take things apart, and make connections between ideas that may not be apparent at first. Studies show it starts early: infants seen as curious were more likely to grow up to be intelligent adults. Albert Einstein was a true believer in curiosity. He once said, “I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious,” and was also famous for urging people to “never stop questioning.”

Albert Einstein. Photo credit: Archivo General de la Nación/Wikimedia Commons

Adam Bryant, a columnist for The New York Times, interviewed 525 CEOs and found that curiosity was the most important quality:

“[Curiosity] means trying to understand how things work, and then trying to understand how they can be made to work better. It means being curious about people and their backstories. It means using insights to build deceptively simple frameworks and models in their minds to make sense of their industry—and all the other disruptive forces shaping our world—so they can explain it to others. Then they continue asking questions about those models, and it’s those questions that often lead to breakthrough ideas.”

Ultimately, curiosity can be seen as a source of fuel and energy for the mind. You can have an incredible brain that’s great at storing and making sense of complex ideas, but without a constant stream of information and input, it’s like a sports car with no driver.

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Making Sense of Science, Science

Neuroscience totally backs this 90-second hack to get your sanity back

“I will celebrate every time the wave of emotion hits me…and then it’s gone”

Heather Wake

3/13/2026
Lives are getting busier all the time, making it feel impossible to get everything on our to-do lists done while still managing our overall well-being. Sometimes even 10 minutes of stretching can feel like a Herculean task. But the good news is that when it comes to mood regulation, you might only need to spare a measly 90 seconds.

While the “90 second rule” might initially come across as a passing TikTok hack, it’s a concept coined by Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, the neuroscientist who famously survived a severe stroke, which provided her a unique, firsthand perspective on brain function.

How the 90-second rule works

As Taylor explains it: “We’re only doing three things inside of our brain at any moment in time. We think thoughts, we feel emotion, and run physiological loops to what we’re thinking and feeling.”

@tdocfan1
Your Emotions Only Last 90 Seconds Here’s Why Dr Jill Bolte Taylor Says It Changes Everything #viralvideo #trendingvideo #fyp #Drjill #thediaryofceo
♬ original sound – The Open Mic

Taylor claims that it takes about a minute-and-a-half for any feeling–be it anger, anxiety, or fear, etc.—to pass through organically. So our job is to allow that feeling to metabolize, essentially. And by the end of that process, your brain has a nice reset.

Taylor added that she even tries to “enjoy” whatever she’s feeling during those 90 seconds. “I will celebrate every time the wave of emotion hits me…and then it’s gone,” she says.

Photo credit: Canva

In an interview with Bustle, Djuan Short, LCSW, a licensed trauma therapist and founder of Dahlia Rose Wellness Center, added that another benefit of the 90-second rule is that it “interrupts the urgency” of everyday life, and suggests intentionally incorporating them into “high-demand days.”

“Most people are not exhausted because they are doing too much. They are exhausted because they never fully stop,” Short says. “In a culture built on notifications, deadlines, and visibility, even a brief pause can feel radical. Ninety seconds feels small enough to be possible, but meaningful enough to feel like something that belongs to you.”

How to practice the 90-second rule

@passionbased
Have you used the 90 second rule? Want to learn more about how to relieve and re-set your stress? Head to the link in my bio to purchase my course The Mind Body Stress Re-Set to learn the tools and techniques to support you in times of stress #stress #anxiety #overthinking #mindset #mindsetshift #emotions #healing #selfgrowth
♬ Relaxing Japanese-style piano song inviting nostalgia – Akiko Akiyama
- Catch the urge: Immediately recognize when you feel stressed, angry, or triggered.
- Set a timer: Allow yourself exactly 90 seconds to feel the sensation without judgment.
- Breathe and feel: Focus on where the emotion exists in your body (e.g., tight chest, hot face) and let it pass.
- Release: After the 90 seconds are up, check in with yourself. Taylor explains that if you do happen to still feel lingering emotions after those 90 seconds, that means you’re rethinking the same thought, which restimulates the same emotional and physiological response. Recognize this in a mental loop and consciously choose to stop feeding the emotion.
At its core, the 90-second rule reminds us that many of our emotional reactions, while valid, are a cocktail of hardwired survival instincts and chemical processes. Learning to work with these sensations, rather than stuffing them down or being ruled by them, gives us power back in the only thing in life we do have control over: ourselves.
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A senior couple working out. – Photo credit: Canva

Health, Science

A landmark new study shows that 45 percent of older adults cognitively improve as they age

“What we found is that improvement in later life is not rare, it’s common.”

Tod Perry

3/11/2026

Most people assume that by the time you hit your 60s, you’ve reached the point of continuous mental and physical decline. The mind just isn’t as sharp, and the body becomes overtaken by inflammation, stiff joints, and brittle bones. However, a new study from Yale University says that, for the most part, this is only true for those who believe it.

A new study published in the journal Geriatrics found that when researchers followed 11,000 participants over the age of 65 for up to 12 years, 45% of them improved in either the mental or physical domains, with some improving in both. About 28% improved physically, and 32% improved mentally. To determine whether the participants improved or declined, they completed a global mental performance assessment and a walking test.

“Many people equate aging with an inevitable and continuous loss of physical and cognitive abilities,” lead author Becca R. Levy, an international expert on psychosocial determinants of aging health, said in a statement. “What we found is that improvement in later life is not rare, it’s common, and it should be included in our understanding of the aging process.”

Older adults improve cognitive function, physical function over time, disproving common views of aging. Individuals with more positive age https://t.co/3xI8pAhqjt
— Reddit Journal of Science (@rsciencejournal) March 8, 2026

When it comes to aging, attitude is everything

The researchers hypothesize that the major reason some people show improvements is their beliefs about aging. Those who have a more positive view of the aging process were much more likely to show improvements in their mental and physical health. Those with negative views on aging were much less likely to show any improvement.

It makes sense because if you believe that you can improve after the age of 65, you’re much more likely to try. If you think that you can or cannot improve your health over the age of 65, you’re probably right.

“Our findings suggest there is often a reserve capacity for improvement in later life,” Levy said. “And because age beliefs are modifiable, this opens the door to interventions at both the individual and societal level.”

A group of older women exercising. Photo credit: Canva

How to stay mentally and physically fit after 65

Improvement after 65 requires regularly performing age-appropriate mental and physical exercises. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week, which can be divided into about 22 minutes a day.

Here are exercises that can help people age well:

1. Brisk walking

Studies show that walking is great for seniors’ mental and physical health and can help reduce the chances of developing cardiovascular problems as well as cognitive issues, including dementia and Alzheimer’s.

A group of people walking. Photo credit: Canva

2. Resistance exercises

Resistance exercises, or strength training, can help prevent muscle loss and improve metabolic health. They’re also known to elevate mood and improve sleep quality. Examples of strength training exercises include light weights, squats, and standing push-ups against a wall.

3. Meditative movements

Mental and physical exercises such as tai chi and yoga have been shown to improve health in older adults. They are great for flexibility, mental sharpness, and muscle strength. The combination of mindfulness, breathing, and movement benefits both the body and mind.

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