Smiling is Harder than Frowning

By Shamini Bundell

Child. Bored.

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Top Ten Urban Myths

“It takes 43 muscles to frown but only 17 to smile. So smile – it conserves energy!”

I have drawn the following conclusions:
1. Smiling may be able to prevent global warming.
2. Frowning burns more calories so can help you lose weight.
3. We secretly have more facial muscles than are known to medical science.

Various experts have tried counting the muscles involved. Mainly they argue over how to define a smile and a frown and come up with different answers. Either way most of the numbers quoted at you by irritatingly cheerful people are entirely made up. I feel that I may be missing the feel-good message of this phrase, but until science can give me some proper guidance I shall simply go around looking blank.

“It takes 37 muscles to frown and 22 to smile, but it only takes 4 to reach out and punch someone in the face.”

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