What’s Happening Today?

World Compliment Day. In the global initiative to create the most positive day in the world, World Compliment Day is celebrated every March 1 to spread joy through simple verbal affirmations of appreciation. With less focus on providing material representations of appreciation, this day is meant to cost absolutely nothing at all, so everyone can participate! Giving a compliment is easy, whether it’s telling someone you like their shoes, or letting them know they’re doing a great job — whatever it is, it can change someone’s whole day around.

Share a Smile Day. On March 1, since at least 1997, people share a smile or multiple smiles. When they do so, the person they are smiling at often smiles back. This response is largely automatic, being caused by an unconscious automatic response area of the brain called the cingulate cortex. By smiling at them, and causing them to smile, the initial smiler helps to release feel-good chemicals like dopamine in the brain of the recipient of the smile, which can help elevate their mood.

What Happened Today?

1. In 1896, Henri Becquerel discovered radioactivity. The French physicist made his groundbreaking discovery while trying to prove his erroneous theory that phosphorescent uranium salts absorb sunlight and reemit it as X-rays.

2. In 1947, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was formed. The IMF's primary goal of improving the economies of its member countries has frequently been overshadowed in the past by criticisms about the fund's alleged support of dictatorships and negative impact on the environment.

3. In 1995, Internet giant Yahoo! was incorporated. The company was founded in January 1994 as Jerry's guide to the World Wide Web by Jerry Yang and David Filo.

4. In 1998, Titanic became the first film to gross $1 billion. James Cameron's epic account of the sinking of the Titanic had a budget of $ 200 million and grossed over $ 2 billion in the end.

Birthdays

1. 1983 – Lupita Nyong’o, Kenyan-Mexican actress and Oscar winner.

2. 1994 – Justin Bieber, Canadian singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.

Sources: Wikipedia, checkiday & nationaltoday.com.

Picture credit: Wallpaper Cave