Video feature: Laughing in the face of reality (the science of optimism)

17 November 2009

Laughing in the face of reality video still

Is your glass half full? Chances are that it is, along with those of 80 per cent of the general population - we’re an overwhelmingly positive species.

At the Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, Dr Tali Sharot is one of the leading scientists teasing apart the neurological correlates of what we call optimism. Watch the video below to find out how a happier disposition not only helps us get through the day, but may even be key to our evolutionary success.

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Running time: 3 min 51 s
Read the transcript [PDF 88KB]
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