Even if we choose to spend most of our time staring at a screen, humans are inherently social creatures. Social interaction still forms an important part of our day-to-day lives, whether it’s with colleagues at work, family at home or strangers on the Internet.

10 Surprising Ways To Hack Your Body

While some people seem to be naturally good at understanding social cues and carrying a perfect conversation, for the more introverted of us out there, it may not be as easy. Thankfully – and possibly due to scientists generally being introverts as well – science has come up with quite a few hacks you can use the next time you find yourself stuck in a social situation.

10 Feet Don’t Lie

Most people think of the eyes to be the best indicator of what someone is feeling, and they’re not entirely wrong. Eyes are capable of expressing a ridiculously wide range of emotions, though it’s also quite easy for most people to fake them. If you want to know what someone’s really feeling in a casual conversation at a party—according to science, at least—look at their feet.

While we’re perfectly capable of faking emotions with most other parts of the body, the feet aren’t easy to fool at all. You can tell if someone is stressed, humiliated, humbled, shy, lethargic, horny, angry or nervous just by looking at their legs or feet, as we have no control over it. For example, someone uncrossing his legs or turning his feet to point away from you is likely feeling a sense of discomfort, as his brain has already started making subconscious preparations to leave.^[1]

9 Take A Cup Of Hot Coffee To Your Next Interview

The Internet is full of advice on what to do to prepare for an interview. Depending on the source, it may be anything from color-coordinating your clothes to trying to sleep with someone related to the interviewer. None of it works, though, as interviewers are usually looking for quick decision-making abilities and confidence, and rarely preparedness.

The best way you can ace an interview is by knowing what you’re talking about, but also warming your hands up before the handshake. If that sounds random, it isn’t. Studies have found that warmth can make someone kinder and more generous towards you. While they don’t know exactly why it happens, it may be a vestige from our early days. Shared warmth would have – at some point – helped us establish closer relationships with other people, which would have, in turn, helped keep us all alive.^[2]

8 Stop Feeling Anything With Botox

While emotions are generally considered to be a good thing, they can also prove to be a detriment in many social situations. There are many times when something offensive or otherwise out-of-place ends up disproportionately affecting us. Emotions definitely work against us in those cases; if only there was a way to shut them off to avoid these situations.

As it turns out, there is; just get a Botox treatment. Botox has been long known to inhibit your ability to physically express emotions, but if some recent research is anything to go by, it may actually affect our ability to feel those emotions, too. While they don’t know how it can be possible – as emotions are entirely in the brain and shouldn’t be affected by cosmetic treatments – it’s similar to how you can fool your body into feeling happy by forcing a smile.^[3]

7 In An Argument, Keep It Simple

Whenever we’re in the middle of an argument, we tend to dig up complex, elaborate facts to counter the opposing points. Unfortunately, that doesn’t quite work, as the main aim of most human arguments isn’t sharing knowledge or coming to an amiable conclusion, but winning. Keeping that in mind, the next time you’re stuck in a fairly simple argument with someone, try simplifying your language instead of making it tougher.

Studies suggest that speaking in easily-enunciable words and simple-to-understand sentences has a calming effect on the listener, and could even be used to make them more receptive to what you’re saying. It has been proven to work in areas other than social situations, too, like politics. Donald Trump’s rise, as an example, could be attributed – at least in part – to his simple, straightforward manner of speaking which innately appeals to people.^[4]

6 Use Your Non-Dominant Hand To Control Anger

Contrary to what most people think, emotions like rage aren’t limited to people with a short temper. In most cases, uncontrollable anger is a symptom of other underlying issues, but also a fairly regular part of daily life if kept under normal levels. For anyone who isn’t able to do so, you may want to actively try using your non-dominant hand for daily tasks.

As a study done by a professor at the University of Wales suggests, just the simple act of switching hands while doing basic tasks like cleaning the house or using your laptop could massively reduce your anger, as well as train the mind to control itself better in the future. Obviously, don’t try this with situations like trying to play a music instrument or writing, where switching would probably make you even angrier than before.^[5]

5 The Benjamin Franklin Effect

Ever been in a drawn-out, heated argument that has gone on long enough for you to desperately want to escape it to cut your losses in temper? At that point, there aren’t many things you can do. You can either completely blow up, shut them up and walk away, or be more polite and text a friend to help you out of the situation. As it turns out, there’s something else you can try, too; do them a favor to force yourself to like them.

It’s known as the Benjamin Franklin effect, as he was the first one to theorize that if someone is kind to you once, he’s much more likely to be kind to you in the future. That sounds baffling, as our actions should be caused by our feelings and not the other way around. It was only when it was scientifically proven in 1969 that we realized that it’s a real phenomenon.^[6]

4 Social Proof

If you ever walk past two adjacent food stalls selling the same item, chances are that one of them would always be much more crowded than the others. We see this in action in the case of cafes or restaurants, too. People tend to go to places they see other people going to, as it indicates that it’s a better place to go to. Mind you, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s better, only that people trust others when it comes to the value of things in our society.

This is known as a marketing strategy called ‘social proof’, and could be successfully used in social situations, too. You can make your arguments much more convincing if you make them sound like someone else came up with them, even if they didn’t.^[7]

3 The Last Impression

As a society, we give a lot of importance to first impressions. Whether it’s a first date or an interview, we make sure to put our best foot forward when we walk into the room. It makes sense, too, as conventional wisdom suggests that first impressions can make or break a meeting.

As growing research is finding out, though, first impressions are hardly impactful enough to make a difference, or even in our control. If you really want someone to remember a first meeting with you, you need to focus on your last impression instead. More clearly, people tend to remember what you leave them with over what you did when you first came into the room, especially when it comes to permanent, long-term impressions.^[8]

2 Chew Gum To Calm Your Nerves

Nerves maybe annoying at times, though they’re a pretty useful mechanism of the body to help us deal with hectic situations. Being nervous before an exam ensures that you study for it well. When it comes to social interactions, though, they can work against us, too. For many people, being nervous can be a debilitating place to be in, and could actively hamper their day-to-day productivity.

While there aren’t any medical cures for that (yet) chewing gum can help you temporarily fix it. Researchers have found that the continuous act of chewing can actually considerably lower anxiety and improve your mood, as well as help fight feelings of depression. It’s not just useful before interviews or other social meeting, either, as it could be used in many other non-social situations, too.^[9]

1 Asking For Help Actually Makes You Appear Smarter

Most people agree with the ‘fake it till you make it’ approach; appear like you know what you’re talking about and people would think that you really do. It’s a central theme of many rap songs and inspirational movies, and seems to be fairly straightforward and accurate piece of advice.

As a researcher at the Harvard Business School found out, however, asking for help may actually make you appear smarter to others for multiple, unrelated reasons. For one, admitting that you don’t know something comes across as a sign of wisdom, as gathering more information to fill gaps in your knowledge is an inherently smart thing to do. More importantly, asking for help makes the other person feel important and intelligent, in turn improving his own opinion of you.^[10]

There are over 10,000 hostage situations in America every year. Many of them are resolved peacefully but thousands are not. It’s obviously a serious and potentially deadly issue that can play out in so many unpredictable ways it’s hard for anyone to know how to proceed.

While movies and TV shows can make everything look simple, the truth can be anything but. And some hostage situations have gone so far off the rails that no one ever could have guessed how they were going to play out.

10. A Man Took a Radio Station Manager Hostage and Demanded a Kermit the Frog Song

Hostage taking often comes as a result of desperation or cruelty, depending on the situation. Sometimes it’s used as a tactic to try to achieve a goal. Maybe a bank robber will take a hostage to try to ensure their own safety so they can get away. For one man in New Zealand, the purpose of taking the manager of a radio station hostage was about as murky as reasons could get. He wanted to hear the Muppets sing The Rainbow Connection, and he wanted to hear it for 12 hours.

The 21-year-old man was not identified in the media, but he entered a New Zealand radio station claiming to have a bomb. As he barricaded himself inside with his hostage and police cordoned off the neighborhood, the man wanted the world to know how he felt and ordered the song played on repeat.

The whole event was cut short when police were able to take him into custody and we may never know why he felt Kermit’s song from The Muppet Movie expressed his true feelings. The bomb he claimed to have turned out to be a fake. 

9. Notorious Criminal Charles Bronson Let a Hostage Go For Farting

To many people in North America, Charles Bronson was an action star who achieved most of his fame through the Death Wish film series. There is, however, another Charles Bronson out there that people in the UK are more familiar with. This Charles Bronson was an infamous criminal known for being especially violent and brutal. He became almost a folk hero and even had a movie made about him that stars Tom Hardy. 

Bronson was initially incarcerated for armed robbery, however he spent decades in prison because of his violent nature when he was behind bars. There, he would attack other inmates and take hostages on more than one occasion. His motives are usually hard to understand, seeing as once he took hostages and demanded an inflatable doll, helicopter, and a cup of tea to release the person.

Arguably the most bizarre incident involving Bronson and his hostage taking was when he took a librarian hostage and then released the man because he farted in front of him, which Bronson found disgusting.

8. Kenneth Lamar Noid Took 2 Domino’s Employees Hostage Because of Noid Commercials

The story of the Noid, the weird claymation mascot of Domino’s Pizza back in the ’90s, sounds pretty goofy until you get the full, tragic story as it related to one man who had some unfortunate mental health issues.

If you don’t remember the Noid, he was a strange sort of rabbit eared character who really wanted to ruin your pizza experience. So to “avoid the Noid,” as they said, you had to order Domino’s? Unfortunately, a man named Kenneth Lamar Noid became convinced that Domino’s was targeting him specifically with their ads.

Kenneth was so upset by commercials featuring the Noid character that he eventually went to Domino’s location and took two employees hostage at gunpoint, trying to convince the company to stop specifically targeting him in their commercials which is something he felt was happening.

The employees managed to escape because Noid ordered a pizza and then sat down to eat it. He was taken into custody and it seems like the story should have ended there, but unfortunately Noid was plagued by the belief that these commercials were out to get him and eventually took his own life.

7. During a Deadly Hostage Crisis Reporters Asked Hostage Takers to Pose with Their Guns Against Hostage’s Heads

The relationship between the media and the news they report on has always been a strange one. In recent years, the line between the two getting blurred has become more and more of a concern to the point where sometimes you need to wonder if news is being reported or if it is being created. There are few cases where this was more of a serious issue than back in 1988 in West Germany.

Known as the Gladbeck Hostage Crisis, the incident started when two men robbed a bank in Gladbeck. The police response was bungled to say the least, and they ended up providing a getaway vehicle for the two men more than once. After nearly a day of holding employees at gunpoint, the two men took the car, two hostages, and the money they robbed from the bank and drove away. They even managed to stop to pick up the girlfriend of one of the two robbers.

They drove to another town and somehow hijacked a bus full of 30 people. The police detained the girlfriend, and in retaliation one of the bank robbers shot a 15-year-old hostage. They left with a bus full of hostages, transferred to a car and cut down to two hostages, and fled again. 

At their next stop the press swarmed their car. They were taking photos and asking questions while hostages in the car had guns on them. With cameras rolling, in footage you can still find today, one of the reporters notices that there’s a gun not being used and asks if it wouldn’t make for a better shot if the gunman picked it up and put it to the hostage’s head.

In the end, another of the hostages was still shot before police could bring the man into custody.

6. A Hostage Taker Stormed Discovery Channel Because He Hated Their Programming

If you spend any time on social media, then you know people on the internet have some seriously angry opinions about TV. you can get people arguing for hours, even days, over TV shows and movies. Many times these will escalate into violent and angry name calling as well.  People just take their entertainment way too seriously.

In 2010, this grew well out of control when one man broke into the Discovery Channel headquarters and took hostages because of how much he hated the shows the channel was airing. And sure, lots of people complain about reality tv, but most of those complaints don’t end in fatalities.

James J. Lee had a history of publicly causing trouble for Discovery. Two years prior he staged a protest against the shows Kate Plus 8 and 19 Kids and Counting. But in 2010 he crossed a line and took two employees and a security guard hostage for hours, demanding Kate Plus 8 be taken off TV. Part of his issue was the belief humans were destroying the planet and, since those shows promoted large families, they were doing more harm.

Lee was armed with a gun as well as several explosives that were designed to go off if he was shot by police. A robot had to be used to disarm some of the devices. 

5. John II of France was Taken Hostage, Released, Then Voluntarily Returned as a Hostage

Most people have some kind of individual sense of honor, to a greater or lesser degree, that determines how they’re going to act in any situation. Historically, codes like this were a little more important to a person and could have a greater influence on the actions they took in day-to-day life. Such was the case with King John II of France.

In 1355, England and France were at war. In 1356, England had overcome the French forces and King John was taken prisoner. By 1357, he was being held in London. It wouldn’t be until 1360 that he was finally ransomed and returned home. However, France did not have the money to pay the ransom so instead additional prisoners were taken. King John was exchanged for his own son, amongst others.

Maybe the story would have ended there, except John’s son managed to escape after he was taken into custody. For whatever reason, John felt this was a dishonorable move, since his son was meant as payment for himself, so he turned himself back over to the English once again. 

4. Muhammad Ali Negotiated the Release of 15 Hostages in Iraq

Every once in a while a professional athlete will offer up their opinion on something to do with politics or world events. Many times people will tell them to stick to what they’re good at, meant as an insult. But Muhammad Ali proved that professional athletes can make a big difference when he saved 15 hostages back in 1990.

The regime of Saddam Hussein took 15 Americans hostage after the Gulf War. Ali traveled to Iraq, amidst heavy criticism, to speak with Hussein in person. He was successful as well, and secured the release of the men. His efforts would later result in George Bush giving him the Medal of Freedom.  This was also not Ali’s first time dealing with hostage negotiations, as in the mid 80s he had gone to Beirut to negotiate for the release of four American hostages. 

3. A Woman Held Hostage by Her Boyfriend Used the Pizza Hut App To Get Help

Cheryl Treadway was taken hostage by her boyfriend in 2015, along with her children. In need of help and fearful for her safety and that of her kids. He confiscated her phone and held them all hostage with a large knife. At some point Treadway managed to convince her boyfriend that they needed to eat, and she could order pizza using the Pizza Hut app without having to talk to anyone. So he let her do it.

In the space where you’re allowed to leave a note in the ordering app she wrote “911 hostage help”. The order taker at Pizza Hut could see that something was wrong, and the police were called, saving Treadway and her children. 

2. Residents of Love Canal Took the EPA Hostage

You may have heard of the town of Love Canal, the infamous site of a toxic waste dump. Many of the local residents complained of severe, long-lasting health conditions as a result of this toxic waste that they didn’t know existed. The story of what happened has been considered the kicking off point for the modern environmental era. 

The issues suffered by these people were catastrophic. It wasn’t just getting sick; they were suffering chromosome damage. This was serious stuff. After it was discovered, several hundred families were compensated, their homes were purchased by the government, and they were able to relocate. But hundreds more were considered to be outside the danger zone, even though they were also suffering ill effects.

Because the government wasn’t listening to their concerns, they resorted to the extreme measure of kidnapping two EPA officials. Police arrived to discover hundreds of residents armed with 2x4s protecting their hostages. They explained that the men wouldn’t be treated poorly, but they were not going to be let go until the government listened. 

The hostage situation lasted 5 hours, but over 700 residents had their homes purchased by the government soon after, which is what they wanted.

1. A Hostage Taker’s Mom Showed Up and Beat Him

In a movie it’s always exciting when the hero shows up and gives the villain their comeuppance. Do we have heroes in real life to do this? Sometimes. In the case of Amos Atkinson, the hero was his mom.

After firing a shotgun at police, Atkinson took 30 hostages at a restaurant in an effort to force authorities to release his friend from custody. Police contacted his mother to act as a go-between to communicate with him. She showed up and started beating her son with a handbag. Humiliated and unable to proceed, Atkinson let the rest of the hostages go and was arrested.

In our day-to-day lives, we take a lot for granted. But things can change from one moment to the next. How we cope with a survival situation depends on many factors, including your age, fitness level, and location. Above all, the most crucial component is your readiness.

Each survival situation is different. Maybe the difficulty you’re facing is short-term, and you expect things to return to normal soon. Here, we are thinking of events such as getting lost in the backcountry, a flood, or a hurricane. Other events could be long-lasting, like a war or the zombie apocalypse, for example.

Your strategy will be different if you live in the inner city or a rural area. My instinct would be to leave the city (hello, have you seen the Walking Dead?), but the city might be the first place to receive help. Much depends on your personal circumstances, but you should always consider what you would do in a survival situation and how you can best ensure the safety of your loved ones.

Preparing a 72-hour kit or at least a go-bag can be the difference between a survival situation and just a situation. You don’t have to go all out and spend crazy amounts of money to be prepared unless you’re into that. In fact, you just need to gather some things you probably have lying around the house. Here are the ten best everyday items you need for survival situations.

10 Swiss Army Knife

Arguably still, the best multi-purpose tool on the market is the Swiss Army knife. These bad boys have been around for over 130 years, and they just keep getting better. Some elaborate models have an attachment for just about everything you might need, like a can opener or tweezers.

Swiss Army Knife knives are not cheap, but they are top-quality. It’s a good idea to keep at least two of these knives separately so that you always have a backup if you lose one.

Swiss Army knives can do just about anything, from starting a fire and building a stove to sawing small logs to building a makeshift loader and notching wood to construct a shelter. These pocket knives aren’t just Swiss; they’re salvation. Along with the Swiss Army knife, you might also want to consider adding a small ax or hatchet to your bag. Cause you never know…

9 First Aid Kit

Hopefully, you won’t need it, but a basic first aid kit is always a good idea. Make sure that your kit includes sterile wipes for cleaning wounds and your hands before treating injuries. You should also include iodine and pure alcohol. Include bandages, gauze wrap, bandaids, and plenty of aspirin, to reduce fever and swelling. Consider tossing in some insect-repellant for good measure.

If you dip into your first aid kit for everyday use, ensure you replenish what you’ve taken out. Check that your first aid kit is ready for use regularly, and tuck it back in its place for easy grab-n-go access.

8 Waterproof Matches or Lighter

In many survival situations, there will come a time you need to light your wood-burning stove or start a fire for warmth and even light your way when every other resource runs dry. A fire might be necessary for signaling your position. In that case, gather any spare lighters around your house to include in your survival kit. If you can, seek out some waterproof matches. You can easily make your own if you can’t find them at a local store.

Amazon and other camping stores like REI and even Walmart have great options. Even lighters with a reusable wick! Another option is to procure a flint and steel kit for starting fires. These are inexpensive but can be a bit finicky for beginners.

Better yet, if you have any crayons lying around, toss those into your kit! Crayons are made of wax and can burn for up to 30 minutes. That’s way better than a measly match!

7 Food and Water

People expecting an existential survival event squirrel away enough food to last a while. This may not be the case in your situation, but even so, you should ensure that you have enough food and water for at least 72 hours. A lost or injured hiker will need supplies to last until rescue comes, and if you can’t leave your house, you’ll need the fuel to stay put.

While you can last for days without food, it’s best to have a cache of nonperishable, high-energy foods such as trail mix, oatmeal, and fruit leathers (fruit rolls). Include some camomile tea bags which can help you relax and has various medicinal properties.

Water is another matter. Don’t worry about packing it. It’s too heavy. Instead, you’ll need chemical sterilizers, a water pump, or a small pot for boiling. Preferably all three, but we’re not picky. Hopefully, you will be able to find a water source such as a stream. If you do, go as far upstream as possible and check the water for contaminants (a dead animal just around the bend from you might pollute the water beyond any treatment.) Let the water boil for at least a minute but boil it for as long as five if you’re worried about its purity. If you’re at home, fill the tub with water and use the same treatment process before sipping.

6 Sturdy Footwear

As any hiker knows, good-quality boots are fundamentally important. Buy a pair that allow your feet some space. If your boots are too tight, you are almost certain to get blistered feet. After buying new boots, wear them around the house or on errands for a few days. This will allow your feet to get used to your new footwear.

Can’t afford boots or simply don’t have any? No problem. At least, for the love of Moses, find a pair of closed-toed shoes. There’s no worse feeling than showing up to a party, and you’re underdressed. Imagine that in a survival situation but about a thousand times worse.

If a year or so has gone by and you haven’t worn those old Nikes in your closet, they just found a new home in your survival kit. Be prepared to outrun everybody when the zombies set in.

5 Sleeping Bag

Your sleeping bag should be light, roomy, and waterproof. Keep your survival kit as light as possible. Don’t weigh down your pack with the softest, comfiest, thickest material. Though, many camping and survivalist brands offer functionality without sacrificing a ton of comfort.

Attach your sleeping bag to the outside of your pack. If you can, roll it up with a thin mattress pad. You can also forgo a mattress pad and transform the hard ground using a mat of grass. If you are expecting a serious survival event, it’s a good idea to have your rucksack ready-packed so you can leave at a moment’s notice.

For kiddos, ensure they still fit their sleeping bag about every six months.

4 Stove

It’s a good idea to use a wood-burning stove. Gas canisters will only last a few hours and are heavy to tote around if you’re on foot. Wood-burning stoves allow you to cook your meals using any scrap wood that you find around.

If you are in the open, look for wood in a sheltered place as it will be drier. Collect wood early in the day and leave it in an exposed place to dry out. Set up your stove on a level surface in a sheltered spot.

3 Analog Watch, Compass, and Maps

It’s never a good idea to rely on a smartphone’s GPS when you are out in the wild. In a survival situation, you might find that coverage is patchy or non-existent. And, sooner or later, you will have to recharge your phone’s battery. You might think that including an analog watch on this list is a little curious, as knowing the time will probably not be among your most pressing concerns. However, you can use an analog watch as a compass if you don’t have a real compass.

A detailed map of your area could be very important. The 1:24000 scale maps produced by the United States Geological Survey are the best for residents in the United States. Other countries have equivalent maps (Ordnance Survey maps in the UK, for example). A good map will allow you to work out where you are and the best way to get from A to B. It will also help you to find important resources such as rivers, ponds, and streams.

On YouTube, many videos will show you how to read and use a map. It might be a good idea to familiarize yourself with the skills needed if you don’t have any map experience.

2 Waterproofs

Good protective clothing will save you a lot of discomfort. You can buy light, high-quality rain gear at a reasonable price. In general, you should always keep your clothing as dry as possible. If you have to walk, ensure your socks are always dry. Change them if they are damp. Wet socks will cause blisters. Dry out clothing overnight next to your campfire, or lay clothes out in the sun during the day.

Clean out your closet for old but still in good condition articles of clothing like a pair of jeans, long and short sleeve shirts, a beanie, hat, gloves, and jackets. You’ll need at least one of each.

Remember: this is about survival. No one will judge your Smurfs t-shirt when someone’s leg needs to be amputated.

1 Rucksack

There is a wide range of rucksacks on the market at every price level. You don’t need to spend a lot of money on a rucksack. Get one that is light, comfortable, and waterproof. A backpack is also a great alternative. Just don’t use a tote bag, purse, or suitcase. You’ll want your hands free and will be able to wear the pack for long periods.

And that’s it! Pack your bag with the above essentials in advance. If it’s ready, and you’ll want it to be ready, you can grab it and go, you little apocalypse-surviving nerd.