Culture

Family

Nature

Science

Subscribe

9 eye-opening images of immigrants and child labor in the early 1900s.

In 1904, a schoolteacher named Lewis W. Hine started photographing immigrants as they arrived at Ellis Island. Photography turns light into a palpable record of a moment in time, which is incredible when you think about it. And Hine knew just how powerful those moments could be. An Albanian woman from Italy at Ellis Island…

By

Michael Calcagno

In 1904, a schoolteacher named Lewis W. Hine started photographing immigrants as they arrived at Ellis Island.

Photography turns light into a palpable record of a moment in time, which is incredible when you think about it. And Hine knew just how powerful those moments could be.

An Albanian woman from Italy at Ellis Island in 1905 (left) and an Armenian man in 1926 who was fleeing persecution in Turkey (right). Photos by Lewis W. Hine/The New York Public Library.

Hine was working as a teacher and photographer at the Ethical Culture School in New York City when he started taking his students on field trips to Ellis Island to show them the conditions of millions of immigrants.

He believed that if people could see images of the abuse and injustices that were happening in America, it might make social reform a reality.

And, eventually, his dream started coming true. He’s now known for creating images that brought to light scenes of child labor, poor living conditions, unemployment, immigration, and human ingenuity.

After he left his teaching position, he went on to work with the National Child Labor Committee — which lobbied for the abolition of child labor — to document and expose the exploitative practices in the United States. His photos were used in publications all over the world, and they inspired many people to fight for change.

By capturing intangible moments of reality, Hine connected human faces to society’s wrongdoings.

Here are some of the thousands of images that Hine took during his life — pictures that brought dignity to millions of Americans and helped enact positive change:

Hine gave voice to the voiceless in an era when communication was limited.

A group of Slavic immigrants at Ellis Island in 1905. Photo by Lewis W. Hine/The New York Public Library.

“There are two things I wanted to do. I wanted to show the things that had to be corrected. I wanted to show the things that had to be appreciated,” Hines said about his work.  

Group of immigrants from Italy at Ellis Island in 1905. Photo by Lewis W. Hine/The New York Public Library.

He followed the immigrant experience to the tenement buildings in major cities and helped expose terrible living conditions.

A mother and her two children live in one room on the top floor of a building in New York. Photo by Lewis W. Hine/The Library of Congress.

His work with the NCLC often required him to sneak into factories and workshops with a disguise to avoid notice.

Two young boys working a spinning frame at a mill in Macon, Georgia, in 1909. Photo by Lewis W. Hine/The Library of Congress.

“There is work that profits children, and there is work that brings profit only to employers. The object of employing children is not to train them, but to get high profits from their work,” Hines said in 1908.

Workers take a break at the Newberry Mills in South Carolina. Photo by Lewis W. Hine/The Library of Congress.

Through reform and laws enacted on the state and federal level, “by 1920 the number of child laborers was cut to nearly half of what it had been in 1910,” according to the National Archives.

Donnie Cole, known as “Our Baby Doffer,” hesitantly said his age was 12 when asked by Hine. A doffer is someone who replaces spindles in spinning frames. Photo by Lewis W. Hine/The Library of Congress.

His work with National Research Project of the Work Projects Administration exposed the indescribable conditions of everyday people during the Great Depression.

Callie Campbell, 11 years old, picking cotton in Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma. When asked about her job, she said, “No, I don’t like it very much.” Photo by Lewis W. Hine/The Library of Congress.

His photos championed hardworking everyday people, which is most vividly shown in his incredible photos of the construction of the Empire State Building.

Two ironworkers connecting beams on the Empire State Building in 1931. Photo by Lewis W. Hine/The New York Public Library.

Hine was a beacon of humanism at a time when the world was rapidly changing. He was a champion for the exploited. He was an activist.

He was also an incredible pioneer of documentary photography in America.

Despite the power of his work, the changing times of the Great Depression stalled interest in his work, and he died in poverty in 1940. Over the years, though, his legacy has grown exponentially since his death. His investigative photos are still a stark reminder of the kinetic effect images can have on society.

By recognizing the need for change and using his photography skills to help usher it along, Hine demonstrated the true power of images.

That’s something that inspires me, and other photographers, daily.

His photos are humbling reminders of the struggles of everyday people at the dawn of the modern era. They’re a reminder that each of us can change the world, even if it’s in a small way. And they’re a reminder of the hurdles America has overcome to get to where we are today.

Add to Google News

Tags

More for You

  • 9 automatic habits that are telltale signs someone grew up in the ’70s
    Photo credit: Canva – 9 automatic habits that are telltale signs someone grew up in the ’70s.
    ,

    9 automatic habits that are telltale signs someone grew up in the ’70s

    Saving small things for later might be due to the era you were born in.

    Jacalyn Wetzel

    Each generation has its own unique quirks that mark the times in which its members grew up. Often, people belonging to those generations don’t fully recognize their own idiosyncrasies. But once they’re pointed out, you can’t unsee them. Way Back Americana shares a list of subtle habits that signal you were a ’70s child.

    Adults who grew up in the ’70s are solidly Gen X, and aside from being known as the “Forgotten Generation,” a few habits might give away their age. It’s likely not what you think, either. Repetitive directives given during childhood often define automatic behaviors that we carry into adulthood. Rinsing a dish before use, even when it’s clean, is one example, but Gen X has a few that are unique to its generation.

    Gen X, habits, 70s kids, growing up Gen X, generations
    ’70s teens in a group. Photo credit: Canva

    Listening before opening a door

    Pausing to listen before entering a room doesn’t always mean someone’s being nosy. This is a leftover habit of people who grew up in the ’70s, likely due to stricter social rules around children being present during adult conversations. Children were still encouraged to be quiet and unobtrusive when inside the house, especially in the presence of adults who didn’t live with them.

    Silence is suspicious

    If you’ve had a parent burst into your room unannounced and look around suspiciously, chances are they grew up in the ’70s or before. Silence is suspicious to them. It can feel like something is missing. The Way Back Americana YouTube channel explains that there was always some quiet commotion or background noise in a room during the ’70s. The absence of noise can be unsettling to some.

    Gen X, habits, 70s kids, growing up Gen X, generations
    A girl in ’70s clothes lying on the floor. Photo credit: Canva

    Flipping the switch

    Turning off the lights is something that seems helpful. It conserves energy and reduces your power bill, but this helpful habit is so reflexive that it happens without thinking. Someone could be sitting in the room reading a book when it’s abruptly interrupted by the light being turned off.

    In the ’70s, lightbulbs didn’t last as long as they do now, so kids were constantly reminded to turn off lights. “Lights weren’t left on unnecessarily, and it wasn’t framed as a suggestion. It was just how things were done. Over time, that simple action became instinct, and now it happens without effort. Like a small rule that never stopped applying,” Way Back Americana says.

    Saving things “just in case”

    Keeping things like containers, gift bags, grocery bags, or other random items in case you need to repurpose them later. “This comes from growing up in a time when replacing things wasn’t always easy or immediate, and there was value in holding onto something that could serve a purpose again,” Way Back Americana explains.

    “Hey that’s my spot”

    According to the channel, this habit goes back to a time when certain chairs belonged to certain people. Seating wasn’t random in many households. The adults had their preferred seats, and the children filled in where they could and stayed there. Essentially, everyone subconsciously had assigned seats, which is still something that may be familiar to today’s households.

    Boundaries around time

    When an event is about to end, “You instinctively start wrapping things up without needing to be told. There’s no urge to push past it or stretch it out longer than it’s meant to last,” Way Back Americana shares. “‘Cause you’re used to the idea that when something closes, it closes. That understanding was built early, when schedules were still fixed and expectations were clear, and it created a natural respect for boundaries that still shows up today in how you handle time.”

    Gen X, habits, 70s kids, growing up Gen X, generations
    A woman blows bubbles out a car window. Photo credit: Canva

    Everything has its place

    Noticing when things are slightly out of place is also a marker of the ’70s. Even if it’s a table moved an inch to the left, your brain picks up on it quickly. This is likely due to things having designated places when growing up, which allowed for structure in the house, according to the channel.

    Pausing before leaving the house

    This small reset helps you mark the shift between two different environments. Way Back Americana explains, “Growing up, leaving the house wasn’t rushed, and that sense of transition became part of the experience. Even now, that pause remains. Subtle, but consistent. Like a quiet habit that signals you’re about to go somewhere else.”

    Keep Reading →
  • A dog trainer noticed a man walking every day with a dog leash but no dog. She asked why, and his reply brought them both to tears.
    Photo credit: sailorjerrithedogtrainer/Instagram (used with permission) – Dog trainer Jerri Scherff shares an emotional story about dogs.
    ,

    A dog trainer noticed a man walking every day with a dog leash but no dog. She asked why, and his reply brought them both to tears.

    “Don’t be afraid to reach out to someone,” dog trainer Jerri Scherff tells Upworthy.

    Emily Shiffer

    Dog trainer Jerri Scherff kept seeing a man in her neighborhood walking with a dog leash in his hand, but without a dog. After driving by multiple times, she decided to pull over and ask him why.

    On Instagram, she shared a tearful video about their heartwarming exchange and grieving their dogs.

    “Finally this morning I said, ‘Can I ask you something?’ He said, ‘Yeah.’ ‘Did you lose your dog?’” Scherff says to the camera. She adds that he nodded to her, and she tearfully replied, “‘Me too.’ And then I just hugged him.”

    “He said ‘everyone makes fun of me for it, but I just miss him,’” Scherff says. “Anyway, so pray for that guy.”

    In the video’s caption, Scherff writes that the two “hugged like we were passengers of a sinking ship. Bound together by tragedy…when I see him now I wave. And I say a little prayer for him that he would know comfort and peace in his grief. I could see it on his face how much he loved that dog.”

    In another clip, a photo of Scherff’s beloved dog Enzo is shown, with dates marking his birth and his last day on Earth (3/27/17-3/27/26).

    “Don’t be afraid to reach out to someone”

    In an interview with Upworthy, Scherff explains that her loss is “bittersweet.”

    “Losing a dog is one of the bittersweet things that almost every human being has or will experience in their lifetime if they’re lucky to have loved a dog that much that they are grieving so deeply over that loss,” Scherff says as she chokes up.

    She adds, “That it’s a privilege and it’s an honor. In these incredibly divisive times, that is the one thing as human beings that we can all hold on to and relate to one another, and have compassion for each other. I would encourage people to take their dog on that walk. Throw that ball one more time.”

    Finally, she hopes her video inspires others to connect.

    “Don’t be afraid to reach out to someone. They may desperately need that hug and that connection,” she says. “They may have just lost their best, most special friend. For someone to acknowledge it, and grieve for a moment with them, is an honor and privilege as a human being.”

    Viewers respond

    The emotional video resonated with dog owners and lovers alike, with many sharing their heart-wrenching stories and how the video deeply touched them:

    “You have a heart of gold.. so does he. ❤️😢🙏 prayers.”

    “I get it. Ten million times over. I’m so sorry for both of your irreplaceable loss. ❤️‍🩹🙏”

    “I’m so sorry. 😢. It hurts bad.”

    “I still bring my boy’s ashes on hikes with me. You have to keep them with you somehow.”

    “❤️❤️praying for all of us. We’re all healing in our own ways. Proud of him for getting out there still. You too. I do it every day myself, in honor of my girl. Her harness hangs where it’s always hung, even now 7 months later. It’ll likely hang there as long as I live in this house. This was Gucci’s House. I always called it her house, not mine.”

    “It’s so real, and never softens. it changes.”

    “I was sobbing before you even came on camera. I lost my heart dog in January 2025 and it’s one of the greatest pains, sending both you and this man so much love and healing.”

    Keep Reading →
  • Teacher lets kindergarteners choose their name for a day. Their choices are delightfully unhinged.
    Photo credit: Canva Photos – A kindergarten teacher decided to let his kindergarteners choose their name for the day and beautiful chaos ensued.
    ,

    Teacher lets kindergarteners choose their name for a day. Their choices are delightfully unhinged.

    “Marshmallow” and “Ochy” will remember this day for a long time.

    Evan Porter

    It’s not easy to get a classroom full of wiggly, goofball five- and six-year-olds to sit through an entire day of instruction in kindergarten. Teachers have to utilize structure, routine, and just the right pacing to keep things moving. They also have to know when to dial things back and let the kids do what comes naturally: be silly.

    The best educators have a lot of tricks up their sleeve when it comes to getting kids to laugh, move their bodies, and be ready to focus again on the next assignment. But one teacher recently came up with a funny idea that really seemed to stick.

    Teacher attempts hilarious experiment

    Teacher Jordan Lake, a popular creator on Instagram and fifth year kindergarten teacher, recently took to social media to share the results of a fun experiment he did with his students.

    “Letting students change their name for the day because they’re only young once,” he titled the Reel. In it, he’s seen sitting at a desk with a stack of “Hello My Name Is” stickers and a sharpie, bracing himself for the worst.

    In the original clip, which has racked up over seven million views, he addresses a student who’s off camera:

    “What do you want your name to be for the rest of the day?” Lake asks.

    “Marshmallow,” the child answers without a single beat of hesitation.

    “Uh, Ochy,” the next student says, barely holding in a giggle. “I was thinking in my head, I think Ochy is the perfect name.”

    “I love that,” Lake says. “Do you know what it means, or it just sounds cute?”

    “Mmm, I don’t know,” the student says, seemingly having pulled the name completely out of left field.

    “Nice to meet you, Ochy,” Lake says as he hands over the brand new name tag.

    Watch the whole adorable interaction in the viral clip here:

    Thousands chimed in with a single sentiment: The kids will remember this day for a long time

    Perceptive viewers realized what’s not necessarily obvious in the clip. Whether the kids picked silly, made-up, or mundane names, being able to choose for themselves and build a new temporary identity for the day was a joy they won’t forget anytime soon:

    “Love this! We used to do this at our nursery school. So empowering! “

    “Thanks for the idea. I did this the day before spring break with 3rd-5th graders. They loved it!”

    “My 1st grade teacher and all of the class called me Baby Spice for the entire year … it was AWESOME!!!!! I wrote that name on all my tests or assignments. I will never forget Mr. Schmitty for this.”

    “They get to be creative AND get a little secret spelling AND reading lesson?!”

    “We all deserve this level of Whimsy”

    “We all needed a teacher like you”

    “I still remember the day we did this in second grade

    “Im a speech therapist who LOVES this for more than just for its cuteness for which it exceeds the highest level. It also give kids a chance to step into a new identity for the day. I’d ask each kid what their new personas personality is like and what’s they’re strengths are too.”

    “I have a daughter whose kinder teacher was willing to call her ‘strawberry fields’ for an entire school year. I still love that teacher.”

    Lake later posted the full video, covering each kid in his class, and revealed the delightfully unhinged final roster:

    • Morty
    • Kipper
    • Marshmallow
    • Hello
    • Jorbee
    • Shady
    • Foggy
    • Bhum Bhum Kachoom
    • Wiggly
    • Cindy
    • Ochy

    Even tiny, silly amounts of independence for kids make a big difference

    One commenter recalled being allowed to pick a new name for herself as a kid while on a family vacation. It turned a run-of-the-mill trip to the beach into an unforgettable experience that has stayed with her into adulthood.

    Why is that?

    Research shows that agency, even the tiniest amounts of independence, are deeply meaningful to young children. In fact, it’s something they crave—”I can do it myself!”

    Experts say allowing kids, even young children, more autonomy does wonders for their brain and self-esteem. It improves their confidence, allows them to develop critical thinking, and is crucial in their journey to form their own identity. In a school setting, autonomy, choice, and independence allow them to be far more engaged in learning tasks, which explains why it worked so well for Lake.

    And our names? Well, we can pick our clothes, tie our shoes, and decide what we’re having for lunch; but names are forever. Being tasked with the gigantic responsibility of choosing a new name, a new persona—even a temporary one–is the ultimate act of agency for a kid of kindergarten age.

    Having their teacher call them “Marshmallow” or “Jorbee” (because they want to be a bee and sting their brother, obviously) goes so much deeper than just the giggles. Based on all the adults chiming in on Lake’s video, it’s a safe bet that he will be one of those kid’s all-time favorite teachers. And they’ll always have fond memories of the day they got to choose exactly who they wanted to be.

    Keep Reading →
  • Language experts explain the fascinating reason we say ‘goodbye’ and the journey it took from the 1600s
    Photo credit: Canva – A woman waves goodbye from a car.
    ,

    Language experts explain the fascinating reason we say ‘goodbye’ and the journey it took from the 1600s

    We don’t often realize why we say everyday words.

    Cecily Knobler

    Goodbye. It’s a word so many of us use daily. Some shorten it and simply say, “Bye!” If you’re a toddler, you might say, “Bye bye.” If you’re from the South, you may say, “Bah.” But have you ever stopped to think where the word came from?

    A clip from the podcast The Rest is Science, co-hosted by Hannah Fry (a British mathematician) and Michael Stevens (an educator), has been making the rounds on Facebook. Fry explains how the word gently morphed from a completely different phrase in the 1600s.

    Across many languages

    Fry shares the etymology, saying, “The 1600s is the exact century when the parting blessing ‘God be with ye’ was so said so rapidly and often as phatic communion that it permanently mashed together into ‘God b’wy’ and eventually ‘goodbye.’”

    What is of equal fascination (at least for linguist-lovers) is that this seems to be common among many languages, not just English. A commenter shares the Spanish and French equivalents, writing, “Adios from phrase (a Dios vais), meaning ‘I entrust you to God,’ and adieu from phrase ‘a dieu vous commant,’ meaning ‘I command you to God,’ are both formal farewells.”

    Another adds that Croatians have a similar term. “In Croatian, you can say ‘zbogom,’ which translates to ‘with God’ or ‘go with God.’”

    John Howarth (@Johnsenglishpage) shares the same knowledge in an Instagram Reel and specifically asks commenters to share versions in other languages. One writes, “Yes. In Brazilian Portuguese we say ‘Vai com Deus,’ which translating word by word would be ‘May God go with you,’ which means ‘God be with you.’”

    Germany enters the chat with one commenter writing, “In southern Germany, or more specifically in Bavaria, we say ‘Pfia God’ (also Pfiad di God). This is a warm, traditional Bavarian farewell greeting that literally means ‘May God protect you.’”

    Russians have their own version. “Thank you in Russian is spasibo which is a shortened spasi bog meaning ‘god save you.’ Every time we say thanks we (are) actually wishing each other to be saved by God,” writes another commenter.

    And it’s not just ‘goodbye’

    Upworthy spoke with Spanish language expert Jennifer Jin, who doubles down on the similarity that’s often seen among cultures. “You see something similar in Spanish with the word ‘adiós,’ which can be broken down into two Spanish words: a (to) + dios (God). This is similar to English phrases like ‘go with God’ or ‘I commend you to God,’ showing how similar these farewells are across languages and cultures.”

    She also shares that some common sayings are less obvious than others. “There are other common phrases in English and Spanish, like ‘¡Dios mío!’ (My God!) or ‘gracias a Dios’ (thank God) that are more obviously linked to religion, whereas in ‘goodbye’ it’s a more hidden connection.”

    Why it possibly became ‘good’

    In a 2016 piece for Columbia Journalism Review further exploring the origin of the word morphing, former New York Times copy editor Merrill Pearlman writes, “The Oxford English Dictionary traces it to the 16th century and says our current ‘goodbye’ was formed partly by clipping or shortening ‘Godbewithyou,’ where people speak hastily or in shorthand, and partly by compounding, the practice of combining two or more words into one. ‘God’ may also have become ‘good’ because it seemed to go with other expressions like ‘good morning’ and ‘good night.’ And we do like some consistency in our language.”

    If one goes further back in time, they can find partings that don’t have the religious affiliation. “You can, of course, say ‘farewell,’ shortened for ‘fare thee well.’ These are among the oldest parting words in the English language; the OED traces the phrase to the late 14th century.”

    Keep Reading →
  • Philosopher Plato shared two things humans should ‘never be angry at’ for a more peaceful life
    Photo credit: Canva & Wikipedia – An angry woman, left, and Greek philosopher Plato.
    ,

    Philosopher Plato shared two things humans should ‘never be angry at’ for a more peaceful life

    Channel anger with the help of Greek philosophy.

    Emily Shiffer

    Americans are struggling with anger. The American Psychological Association (APA) defines anger as “an emotional state that varies in intensity from mild irritation to intense fury and rage.”

    According to a 2025 report by the APA, 45% of Americans reported feeling angry or irritable.

    Anger was an emotion that Greek philosopher Plato, who lived from 428 to 348 BCE, knew well and studied closely. He offered wisdom to those seeking answers on how to live a more peaceful life.

    Centuries later, his sage insights are still helping people today. He offered a simple, single sentence to those seeking guidance.

    Plato’s advice on anger

    According to Plato, “There are two things a person should never be angry at, what they can help, and what they cannot.”

    Plato did not shy away from discussing anger in his works on the human experience. He expanded on the Greek term thymos (also spelled thumos), describing it as an “internal psychological process of thought, emotion, volition, and motivation.”

    Plato saw anger as part of human “spiritedness” and “passion.”

    In an essay on Plato and anger, philosopher Gregory Sadler writes, “Anger arises from a perception not only that some harm has been done, some inconvenience has been imposed, some wish, desire, or intention has been frustrated — but all the more from a sense that some wrong has been committed, that someone or something is unjust.”

    Rather than deeming anger morally right or wrong, Plato’s stance is more focused on what humans do with it.

    How to deal with anger

    Plato explained that there are two ways humans can view anger when it arises: through the lens of “what they can help, and what they cannot.”

    Sadler notes, “For Plato, the goal is not total inirascability, an inability to grow angry — nor is it a godlike self-mastery that would preclude any angry responses whatsoever. There are situations in which one ought to grow angry, and act out that anger — when morally this is the right thing to do.”

    The work comes in deciphering when to act on anger and when not to. In short: reason.

    The APA notes that using logic is key to defusing anger:

    “Logic defeats anger, because anger, even when it’s justified, can quickly become irrational. So use cold hard logic on yourself. Remind yourself that the world is ‘not out to get you,’ you’re just experiencing some of the rough spots of daily life. Do this each time you feel anger getting the best of you, and it’ll help you get a more balanced perspective.”

    This is part of what the APA calls “cognitive restructuring,” explaining that it is important to focus on rationality: “For instance, instead of telling yourself, ‘oh, it’s awful, it’s terrible, everything’s ruined,’ tell yourself, ‘it’s frustrating, and it’s understandable that I’m upset about it, but it’s not the end of the world and getting angry is not going to fix it anyhow.’”

    The APA adds, “Angry people tend to demand things: fairness, appreciation, agreement, willingness to do things their way.”

    By turning these “demands” into “desires,” peace can be achieved.

    “In other words, saying, ‘I would like’ something is healthier than saying, ‘I demand’ or ‘I must have’ something,” the APA says.

    For more support, check out the APA’s resources on anger.

    Keep Reading →
  • A 60-year-old study keeps proving that tiny mistakes make you a lot more likable
    Photo credit: Canva – A woman notices a man's mistake.
    ,

    A 60-year-old study keeps proving that tiny mistakes make you a lot more likable

    A little blunder can go a long way.

    Tod Perry

    Studies show that when we meet someone new, we check for two traits to decide if we like them. First, we decide whether they have a warm personality. Do they come off as kind, friendly, or accepting? Second, we assess their competence. Are they intelligent, skilled, and do they have basic social skills?

    If you pass the warmth/competence round of meeting someone new, another way to make sure that people like you is to make a small blunder. People have already assessed that you’re competent. Making a small mistake and having fun with it will make you more relatable. The psychological phenomenon is known as the Pratfall Effect.

    What is the Pratfall Effect?

    Psychologist Elliot Aronson first identified the Pratfall Effect in a 1966 experiment in which he had participants listen to an audio recording of someone taking a quiz and doing incredibly well. At the end of the recording, some participants heard the quiz-taker spill coffee on themselves, while others didn’t. Those who heard the coffee spill rated the quiz-taker much higher on likability than those who did not.

    The basic reasoning behind the Pratfall Effect is that when someone is seen as competent, a mistake makes them more relatable. A terrific example of this is Jennifer Lawrence tripping at the 2013 Academy Awards. At the moment when she was being awarded for her incredible performance in Silver Linings Playbook, she fell on her face. No doubt this made her all the more likable because everyone watching on TV thought, “Oh, she’s just like me.”

    If Lawrence had become angry or cursed the stairs for the fall, people would have thought less of her, but after she fell, she received a standing ovation, and she laughed about it. “You guys are just standing up because you feel bad that I fell, and that’s really embarrassing, thank you,” she opened her speech.

    The Pratfall Effect doesn’t work in every situation

    Now, the Pratfall Effect will only work to your advantage in a situation where people think that you are competent. If you are really good at your job and you accidentally mispronounce a word in a speech to your coworkers and laugh it off, they will like you more. However, if this is a situation where you are less competent, say, you are learning how to golf, and during a practice swing, you accidentally let go of the club, launching it into the air, people will probably think less of you.

    mistake, woman, hand on forehead, mess up, likability, woman in purple
    A woman who made a mistake. Photo credit: Canva

    Not everyone has the same reaction to a competent person making a blunder. A follow-up paper published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that people’s reaction to the mistake will differ depending on their level of self-esteem. People with lower self-esteem will feel greater admiration for their boss who spills coffee on their shirt while driving to work because it levels the playing field. But people with high self-esteem who are more comfortable around their boss won’t care as much if they make a mistake.

    Ultimately, being likable isn’t about impressing people; it’s about knowing how to be human. The key is that once you’ve proven to others that you know what you’re doing, you can feel free to trip up every once in a while because it’ll make them like you even more. 

    Keep Reading →
  • Women who give birth experience a ‘second puberty’ well before perimenopause
    Photo credit: Canva – A woman holds a newborn baby.
    ,

    Women who give birth experience a ‘second puberty’ well before perimenopause

    The process can take up to two years to complete.

    Jacalyn Wetzel

    Puberty is a beast, one that most people try not to remember until they’re standing face to face with their own child and their wildly fluctuating hormones. Unfortunately, for those born with female reproductive organs, adolescent puberty is only the first puberty they will experience.

    Many people think “second puberty” refers to the symptoms of perimenopause, which is also the result of fluctuating hormones. Perimenopause comes on a little more gradually than puberty. While the smells, mood swings, and raging hormones might feel familiar, those symptoms usually appear years after hormones begin to decline.

    second puberty, matrescence, mommy brain, hormones, motherhood
    A pregnant woman with her shirt open. Photo credit: Canva

    There was even a recent moment in Internet history where young women were calling their mid-20s “second puberty.” This was due to them noticing a positive change in appearance that solidified their mature features. Many referred to it as a “glow-up,” focusing on the positive effects of coming out on the other end of puberty. While that’s endearing, puberty is due to an influx of increased hormone levels, which alter the way the world perceives you and how you perceive the world.

    Women who have given birth, or will in the future, experience more of a true “second puberty.” This occurs after the birth of their first child, when the mother’s system is flooded with a hormonal shift that literally alters her brain. The “second puberty” birthing people experience is actually called Matrescence, a term meaning the process of becoming a mother coined by anthropologist Dana Raphael.

    second puberty, matrescence, mommy brain, hormones, motherhood
    A woman holds a newborn baby. Photo credit: Canva

    According to the scientific journal Trends in Cognitive Sciences:

    “The hormonal fluctuations of pregnancy, birth, and lactation initiate rapid and extreme physiological transformations that are unparalleled across the lifespan. These biological changes are accompanied by a dynamic restructuring of the physical, emotional, and social environment. In concert with these adaptations, the maternal brain undergoes significant structural and functional neuroplasticity as well as cognitive adaptations across the peripartum period. The brain is transformed, in preparation for and in response to, a developing child.”

    Every person charged with caring for an infant undergoes beneficial cognitive changes. Oxytocin is released in the caregiver’s brain regardless of sex or gender, whether the child is related biologically, through adoption, or fostering. Think of it as nature’s way of trying to encourage the survival of the species.

    second puberty, matrescence, mommy brain, hormones, motherhood
    A woman smiles while holding a newborn baby. Photo credit: Canva

    Current studies show that Matrescence is unique to the birthing person, causing the brain to do more than make cognitive changes. When someone experiences this “second puberty,” the sudden hormonal shifts create structural changes to the brain. A study published by Human Brain Mapping found that adolescent girls and adult first-time mothers had the same monthly measurement of gray matter loss.

    “In both cases, these reductions were accompanied by decreases in cortical thickness, surface area, local gyrification index, sulcal depth, and sulcal length, as well as increases in sulcal width,” the authors of the 2019 study explained. “In fact, the changes associated with pregnancy did not differ from those that characterize the transition during adolescence in any of these measures.”

    second puberty, matrescence, mommy brain, hormones, motherhood
    A woman looks down at a newborn baby. Photo credit: Canva

    According to studies, the reduction in gray matter caused by Matrescence lasts up to two years postpartum. While the infamous “mommy brain” caused by the loss of gray matter in the hippocampus may be bothersome, it seems to serve a purpose.

    Trends in Cognitive Sciences noted, “Lower hippocampal volume at 4 months postpartum is associated with positive mother–child interactions, suggesting hippocampal changes have broad implications in maternal caregiving behavior, beyond cognition.”

    This “second puberty” news made its way to social media. You can listen to one Instagram creator share their understanding of Matrescence below:

    Keep Reading →
  • Leonard Nimoy explained the surprising back story to Star Trek’s most iconic quote, ‘Live Long and Prosper’
    https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Peace_and_Long_Life.jpgStar Trek's Leonard Nimoy explains origin story of "Live long and prosper" quote.
    ,

    Leonard Nimoy explained the surprising back story to Star Trek’s most iconic quote, ‘Live Long and Prosper’

    The origins of Mr. Spock’s notorious Vulcan salute.

    Emily Shiffer

    Actor Leonard Nimoy portrayed one of the most famous characters in pop culture: Mr. Spock on Star Trek. Nimoy’s real life helped inspire one of the most famous quotes said by Spock that continues to inspire the world: “Live long and prosper.”

    The simple sentence was said by Nimoy’s character in a 1967 episode from Star Trek‘s second season called “Amok Time.”

    In a 2012 interview with StarTrek.com, Nimoy explained: “The idea came when I saw the way Joe (Pevney, the episode’s director) was staging the scene. He had me approach T’Pau and I felt a greeting gesture was called for. So I suggested it to Joe, who accepted it immediately.”

    The inspiration behind “Live long and prosper”

    Nimoy explained that “live long and prosper” came from his experience attending Orthodox Jewish Synagogue in an inner-city neighborhood called the West End in Boston. He shared that both the phrase and the Vulcan salute (the V-shaped hand signal made famous by Spock) were directly inspired by his time there.

    “I still have a vivid memory of the first time I saw the use of the split-fingered hands being extended to the congregation in blessing,” he told the website. “There were a group of five or six men facing the congregation and chanting in passionate shouts of a Hebrew benediction. It would translate to ‘May the Lord bless you and keep you,’…etc.”

    Nimoy went on to add, “And when I saw the split-fingered gesture of these men… I was entranced. I learned to do it simply because it seemed so magical.”

    It was a life-changing idea for Nimoy and Star Trek fans. He said, “It was probably 25 years later that I introduced that gesture as a Vulcan greeting in Star Trek and it has resonated with fans around the world ever since. It gives me great pleasure since it is, after all, a blessing.”

    @startrek

    May you all live long and prosper 🖖 #StarTrek #LLAP

    ♬ original sound – Star Trek – Star Trek

    Remembering Leonard Nimoy

    Leonard Nimoy was born on March 26, 1931, in Boston, Massachusetts. He was born to Jewish Ukrainian parents, and began acting in community theatre at a young age.

    His interest in acting led him to California to study at the Pasadena Playhouse in 1949. Early in his career, he not only acted, but also wrote and directed. After many years slugging it, Nimoy’s big success came when he landed his role on Star Trek in 1966.

    Nimoy was influential in the character development of Spock.

     “[During a scene once,] Spock had one word to say and the word was ‘fascinating.’ And we’re looking at this thing on the screen and I got caught up in that energy and I said, ‘fascinating!’” he told the Television Academy. “And the director gave me a brilliant note which said: ‘Be different. Be the scientist. Be detached. See it as something that’s a curiosity rather than a threat.’ I said, ‘fascinating.’ Well, a big chunk of the character was born right there.”

    Nimoy died in February 2015 at age 83 due to chronic lung disease, COPD. Despite the loss of one of the greats, his legacy lives on.

    Keep Reading →
Gen X, habits, 70s kids, growing up Gen X, generations
Generations

9 automatic habits that are telltale signs someone grew up in the ’70s

dog, dogs, dog trainer, emotional story, heartwarming story
Pets

A dog trainer noticed a man walking every day with a dog leash but no dog. She asked why, and his reply brought them both to tears.

kindergarten, teachers, education, kids, teaching, school, elementary school, funny, humor, instagram, names, funny names, child psychology
Wholesome

Teacher lets kindergarteners choose their name for a day. Their choices are delightfully unhinged.

waving, goodbye, farewell, language, Etymology
Culture

Language experts explain the fascinating reason we say ‘goodbye’ and the journey it took from the 1600s

plato, philosopher plato, anger, angry, philosophy
Skills

Philosopher Plato shared two things humans should ‘never be angry at’ for a more peaceful life

Get stories worth sharing delivered to your inbox.

Advertisement

Featured

All Featured Stories →
mistakes, errors, mess ups, work, likability, pratfall effect
People Skills

A 60-year-old study keeps proving that tiny mistakes make you a lot more likable

Tod Perry
second puberty, matrescence, mommy brain, hormones, motherhood
Health

Women who give birth experience a ‘second puberty’ well before perimenopause

Jacalyn Wetzel
spock, star trek, live long and prosper, Leonard nimoy, vulcan salute
Pop Culture

Leonard Nimoy explained the surprising back story to Star Trek’s most iconic quote, ‘Live Long and Prosper’

Emily Shiffer
honey, potatoes, roses, gardening hacks, flowers
Science

Couple uses a potato and honey to turn grocery store rose into a garden

Cecily Knobler