The magic of a smile

Thought-provoking culture, insightful science and inspirational snippets to bring you up to date on all things uplifting, hopeful and happy-making

Human beings are social animals. We evolved in groups and conquered the world in great big family units that we call civilisations. At a fundamental level, we need the company of other people. So why

Chatting with a barista in the coffee shop, nodding at that woman you see every day as you walk your dog. Sociologists call this type of connection ‘weak ties’, but their impact is anything but weak, writes Kellie Gillespie Wright.

According to the charity Carers UK, there could be more than 10.5 million unpaid carers in the UK. You could be one of them and you may not yet consider yourself in that role. Caring often starts with

The models of ageing I saw as a child did not make it look aspirational. My grandparents lived lives that seemed small and entirely domestic. A 20-pack a day and a whisky, a cup of tea and a biscuit a

Midlife – and all the stresses that come with it, like divorce, redundancy and bereavement – can take its toll on long-established female friendships. As we saw in the last series of The White Lotus,