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This is Scientific American's 60-Second Science. I'm Adam Hinterthuer. Got a minute?

Want to live a happier life? Try surrounding yourself with happy friends or at least find friends with happy friends. A study published online December 4th in the British Medical Journal says happiness can quickly go viral within your social network.

Researchers looked at twenty years' worth of data on more than 5,000 individuals and found that when any one person was happy, their friends became more likely to share that joy. Benefits spread out to three degrees of separation, meaning a better chance at happiness for not only their friends' friends, but also their friends' friends' friends.

But don't go thinking your ten thousand buddies¹ on Facebook will bring you happiness. The researchers found that the strength of the effect dissipates² over physical distance, with next-door neighbors and friends living nearby getting the biggest boost³. Surprisingly, sadness made very little headway within social networks, paling in comparison to the communal⁴ effects of happiness. Just in time for the holiday season, scientific proof that it's not the gift that counts—it’s the smile on the face of the friend giving it.

Thanks for the minute for Scientific American's 60-Second Science. I'm Adam Hinterthuer.

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1 buddies
n.密友( buddy的名词复数 )；同伴；弟兄；（用于称呼男子，常带怒气）家伙v.（如密友、战友、伙伴、弟兄般）交往( buddy的第三人称单数 )；做朋友；亲近（…）；伴护艾滋病人
参考例句：
We became great buddies. 我们成了非常好的朋友。来自辞典例句 The two of them have become great buddies. 他们俩成了要好的朋友。来自辞典例句

2 dissipates
驱散，消失( dissipate的第三人称单数 )；浪费
参考例句：
When all the smoke dissipates, you'll see the truth. 当所有的烟雾散去时，你会看到庐山真面目的。 The high integrity cabin structure dissipates impact energy into the entire body. 此外，一体式的驾乘舱结构可将撞击力分散到整个车身。

3 boost
n.鼓励，激励，提高；v.鼓励，使增强信心
参考例句：
This will be a great boost to the economy.这对于经济发展将是一个巨大的促进。 These changes will help to boost share prices.这些变化将有助于提高股票价格。

4 communal
adj.公有的，公共的，公社的，公社制的
参考例句：
There was a communal toilet on the landing for the four flats.在楼梯平台上有一处公共卫生间供4套公寓使用。 The toilets and other communal facilities were in a shocking state.厕所及其他公共设施的状况极其糟糕。