Goodable

An elementary school's mascot turned out to be more than just a character. Sgt. Perry Chronister, concealed beneath the costume, delivered an emotional surprise to his son Eli on his first day of second grade. The heartwarming scene unfolded at DeWitt Elementary School in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, where staff orchestrated the touching reunion that marked the end of Sgt. Chronister's year-long overseas deployment.

An elementary school's mascot turned out to be more than just a character. Sgt. Perry Chronister, concealed beneath the costume, delivered an emotional surprise to his son Eli on his first day of second grade. The heartwarming scene unfolded at DeWitt Elementary School in Cuyahoga Falls, OH, where staff orchestrated the touching reunion that marked the end of Sgt. Chronister's year-long overseas deployment.An elementary school's mascot turned out to be more than just a character. Sgt. Perry Chronister, concealed beneath the costume, delivered an emotional surprise to his son Eli on his first day of second grade. The heartwarming scene unfolded at DeWitt Elementary School in Cuyahoga Falls, OH, where staff orchestrated the touching reunion that marked the end of Sgt. Chronister's year-long overseas deployment.

This Soldier Returned Home And Gave His Son an Incredible Surprise at School

GoodGoodGood

Forget chips and soda — in the Bronx, a new vending machine is giving out eggs, fresh fruit, and vegetables. And it’s completely free.

Installed by the nonprofit Change Food For Good, the machine is located at the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club on Castle Hill Avenue and is stocked with high-quality grocery items for anyone who needs them. No sign-ups. No questions. Just good food, when people need it most.

“All you need to do is walk up to the machine, select your item, let it vend, and remove it from the chute,” the group shared in a post.

The vending machine is part of the organization’s Good Food For All program, which has already distributed over 15,500 pounds of free food to more than 1,100 families across New York City. This new model is designed to take that impact further — especially in areas where access to affordable, nutritious groceries is limited.

The machine will be restocked once or twice a month with a rotating mix of essentials like eggs, garlic, apples, greens, and other fresh produce. Most items are sourced from local vendors and co-ops. Some, like garlic, are vacuum-sealed to keep other items from picking up the smell. Others are taped closed to prevent spills.

And while a vending machine might seem like an unusual place to pick up groceries, founder Samia Lemfadli says a lot of thought went into the design. Items vend slowly — around 15 seconds — to give eggs time to land gently in their packaging. Lemfadli also hopes the delay helps gently discourage people from taking more than they need in one go.

There are no restrictions on who can access the machine. No IDs. No income checks. The goal is simple: provide food without stigma or hoops.

“One of the main goals of the Good Food For All program is to ensure that individuals, even if they’re struggling, still have their dignity and agency preserved through food choices,” Lemfadli said in a follow-up video. “Say, a single parent [is] able to walk up, get what they need — no muss, no fuss, no stigma, no means-testing.”

A QR code on the machine lets users submit food requests, although the group is still working out how to accommodate bulkier items like milk and plantains that don’t fit easily inside.

“With rising grocery prices affecting everyone,” the group said, “we truly hope that this machine can help families that need it, but also that changemakers, community organizations, and activists can take this model… and run with it — to place free food vending machines in schools, hospitals, anywhere that they think it will be best served.”

It’s a small machine, but a big idea — one that’s already making a difference, and that could easily be replicated across cities and neighborhoods.

To visit the machine, head to Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club at 625 Castle Hill Avenue in the Bronx. Donations to support the project can be made online through Change Food For Good.

A New Vending Machine in the Bronx Gives Out Free Groceries — No Questions Asked

Black News

Shaneisha Dodson didn’t just want to sell dolls. She wanted to build confidence.

The Los Angeles-based entrepreneur and HBCU graduate, who holds two psychology degrees, is the founder of The Brilliant Girl Doll Company — a fast-growing brand on a mission to empower young girls of color through toys that celebrate creativity, culture, and confidence.

“Our goal is to highlight products that reflect the brilliance in every child,” says Dodson, who launched the company to fill a gap she saw in the toy aisle. “Sugamama” and “Hey Sis” aren’t just dolls, she explains. “They are a symbol of confidence, culture, and sophistication. We want girls to know they can be bold, smart, and beautiful.”

Thousands of families agree. Dodson’s dolls have already found homes across the country, and each one comes with a fun theme and empowering story.

Take Sugamama, for instance — a superhero doll who’s not afraid to take on scary monsters but happens to have a sweet weakness for cookies. She comes dressed in a superhero cape and an apron, reminding girls they can be strong and soft at the same time.

Then there’s Hey Sis, a 12-inch doll rocking pink overalls and a bow, designed to represent sisterhood and friendship among young Black girls. Both dolls are part of a wider universe Dodson is building — one filled with royalty, imagination, and ambition.

The brand isn’t stopping at dolls. Under Dodson’s leadership, Brilliant Girl has grown into a full creative hub. Their collection now includes puzzles, STEM-themed paint sheets, math kits, and picture books — all designed to spark imagination and encourage kids to express themselves proudly.

And Dodson is making sure that inspiration isn’t limited to those who can afford it. Every year, she donates free dolls, books, and activity sets to children.

The mission behind Brilliant Girl is simple but powerful: give kids toys that reflect who they are and who they can become. In a toy industry that still often lacks diversity, Dodson’s company is filling the gap — and making a global impact in the process.

More than just a business, The Brilliant Girl Doll Company is a movement. And thanks to Dodson, a new generation of children is learning what it means to be bold, brilliant, and unapologetically themselves.

This HBCU Grad Created a Doll Company to Help Girls of Color Feel Bold, Brilliant, and Beautiful

CTV News

Beloved children’s author Robert Munsch is giving back to the community that helped shape his career. The 80-year-old writer has decided to donate his personal archives to the Guelph Public Library, ensuring that his stories — and the joy they’ve brought to generations — will live on for years to come.

The collection will include original drafts of Munsch’s stories, notes from publishers, letters from fans, photographs, and a range of unpublished materials. It will also feature more than 75 of his picture books and artifacts from his 40-year career, which has made him one of the most cherished storytellers in Canadian history.

Munsch, best known for classics like Love You Forever, The Paper Bag Princess, and Mortimer, became famous not just for his books but for his animated storytelling style that captivated children across the country. “I write books for kids, I talk to kids, and I listen to kids,” he once explained on his website.

The Guelph Public Library announced that Munsch and his wife, Ann, approached them in 2024 about the donation. The collection will become part of the library’s archives at its new Central location, which is scheduled to open in 2027.

“We are excited to have the archives of Robert Munsch added to the Guelph Public Library,” the Munsch family said in a statement. “The library has been a large part of our family’s lives. When our children were young, Robert would take the kids every week to pick out new books. Robert Munsch is happy to continue to inspire kids and adults alike through the archives.”

Eleni Hughes, the library’s supervisor of archives and records management, said the collection will give future readers a rare window into Munsch’s creative process. “The library is honored to house and provide access to Munsch’s archives to foster a deeper understanding of the stories that shaped many of our childhoods and the man who created and brought them to life,” Hughes said.

Munsch’s decision comes at a deeply personal time. In a New York Times profile published in September, he shared that he had applied for Canada’s Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) program after being diagnosed with dementia. He also spoke candidly about watching one of his brothers suffer from the disease and his wish not to prolong his own decline. Under Canadian law, MAID applicants must give active consent at the time of the procedure, and no date has been set for when Munsch might follow through.

His daughter later reassured fans in a Facebook post that he is still doing well. “My dad is doing well but of course with a degenerative disease it can begin to progress quickly at any point,” she wrote.

Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Munsch didn’t always plan on being an author. “I studied for seven years to be a Jesuit priest, only to find that I was lousy priest material,” he once joked. His path changed when he began working in a preschool, where he told stories to children to keep them entertained. One of those stories would later become Mortimer, his first published book.

He and his wife eventually moved to Guelph, Ontario, where both worked at the University of Guelph’s preschool lab. It was there, encouraged by colleagues and students, that Munsch began sharing and publishing his stories — the beginning of a remarkable literary journey.

Now, decades later, his words are coming home to Guelph in a different way.

Famous Children's Book Writer Robert Munsch Just Donated His Personal Archives To a Canadian Library

Upworthy

When 93-year-old Pete Judge lost his job as a grocery store cashier last fall, he had no resume, no LinkedIn, and no idea what to do next. What he did have was a son who believed in him — and a community of thousands of strangers ready to step up.

“This is Pete. He’s my dad,” began the LinkedIn post from Patrick McCarthy, a communications and marketing professional. “My dad lost his job yesterday. I would tag him here, but he doesn’t have a LinkedIn.”

What followed was a simple, heartfelt appeal that would quickly go viral.

Pete had spent decades in the service industry, working jobs at Walgreens, Fry’s, and most recently Winco. He wasn’t a corporate manager or a white-collar worker. But he had something just as valuable: he knew how to connect with people. Customers loved him. His empathy, his warmth — it kept people coming back.

So when he was suddenly laid off, Patrick knew his dad wouldn’t have the professional network to navigate the modern job market. That’s when he turned to LinkedIn.

“I wholeheartedly believe in the magic of this community,” Patrick wrote, asking anyone in need of a customer service rockstar to reach out.

And they did — in a big way.

Within days, the post had been shared over 500 times and drew hundreds of comments. Offers and leads poured in. One manager at a Sprouts grocery store said Pete sounded like the perfect hire and mentioned a role that could even pay his daily wage in advance. Another person thought he’d make an excellent tour guide for REI. Someone else invited him to a weekly career coaching group. Even LinkedIn chimed in: “Pete sounds like a top-tier employee! 💙”

The outpouring was, as Patrick later described, “an astounding outpouring of love, hope, support and camaraderie that I never thought social media could bring.”

And it worked — Pete got a new job.

Patrick shared an update weeks later, reflecting on what the moment had meant to both of them.

“2023 was the year that gave me more hope in social media,” he wrote. “From that post came hundreds of new connections, some new friends and more people than I can count that saw us and heard us and cared. Even just a little bit.”

He added, “Though social media can take a lot of us into those places of darkness and loneliness and self-criticism, there's something special about the people on LinkedIn. The people that are here for the right reasons. And it feels like I've found a lot of them.”

Alongside the post, Patrick shared a photo of himself, Pete, and his young son Sebastian taken in Phoenix a few days after Pete’s story went viral. “Forgive the squinty eyes from the pale PNW boys,” he joked. “February sun in the desert is still really bright.”

In a job market that’s increasingly uncertain, and in a digital world that often feels isolating, this story was a reminder that human kindness still shows up. Sometimes, all it takes is one post and a little faith in people.

Father Finds New Job After Son's Viral LinkedIn Post Inspires Overwhelming Community Support

The Cool Down

A paving company in the U.K. is turning plastic waste into driveways — and they've just hit a major milestone.

Oltco, based in Cornwall, recently announced that its Recycle Bound product has now repurposed the equivalent of 1 billion plastic straws through paving projects across the country. The latest installations in High Wycombe, near London, helped push the company past that landmark figure.

Recycle Bound, which launched in 2019, is a resin-bound surfacing solution that blends recycled plastic waste with stone and other aggregates to create durable, low-maintenance paving. The company says it’s their strongest surface yet — able to withstand heavy foot traffic, moisture, and even high temperatures, all while remaining permeable to meet urban drainage requirements.

But it’s not just about strength. Each square meter of Recycle Bound paving contains the equivalent of 3,000 plastic straws or 100 plastic bottles — a significant amount, especially when you consider that the average U.K. household recycles only around 270 plastic bottles a year.

“It’s incredibly inspiring to be part of something that’s making such a positive impact, not just here in High Wycombe, but across the country,” said Oltco director Adrian Eyre in an interview with Bucks Free Press. “The response to Recycle Bound has been fantastic, and it’s clear that the community is truly passionate about sustainability.”

That enthusiasm comes at a time when the U.K.’s recycling system is under pressure. A 2024 report from Greenpeace found that only 17% of the country’s plastic waste is actually recycled. The rest is either incinerated, shipped abroad, or ends up in landfills — where it can leach harmful chemicals into the soil and groundwater or contribute to the buildup of methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

By taking hard-to-recycle plastics — like straws, takeaway containers, and packaging — and locking them into long-lasting surfaces, Oltco’s approach offers a creative way to keep those materials out of landfills and oceans. Their projects have included everything from patios and footpaths to courtyards and commercial spaces.

And while resin-bound paving won’t solve plastic pollution on its own, solutions like Recycle Bound show that it’s possible to rethink waste — not just as something to dispose of, but as something to build with.

A Paving Company is Turning 1 Billion Plastic Straws Into Driveways and Patios — Here's How

People

A forgotten letter in a childhood box turned out to be the start of something much bigger for Jennifer Yang — and now, thousands of kids are rediscovering the joy of handwritten notes.

Yang, a mom of two, was cleaning up when she stumbled across something she hadn’t seen in years: a letter she wrote in third grade to a friend who had moved away. She had meant to say thanks for their friendship — but never mailed it. She was waiting on her parents to buy stamps, and somehow, the moment passed.

That tiny memory hit her with surprising force.

“Dearist was really born out of a simple truth, that a handwritten letter holds this timeless magic,” Yang told PEOPLE. “It has this quality of time travel, of putting you in another place.”

That moment led her to create Dearist — a stationery and storybook series designed to teach children how (and why) to write letters, how the mail works, and what it means to connect through writing. Each kit includes materials kids need to write real, physical letters — even stamps — plus an educational three-book series that makes the whole process easy and engaging.

One book walks through the emotional side of letter writing. Another explains what actually happens after a letter is mailed. The third is all about stamps — where they come from, how to use them, and why they matter.

Yang says it’s more than just a cute activity.

“Building empathy, giving them a time to reflect, working on that emotional intelligence and really giving kids the freedom and space [from the digital world] is at the heart of Dearist,” she said.

Letter writing, she points out, was once a common skill — but that’s changing fast.

“There are fewer opportunities to practice writing, especially by hand,” she noted. “We imagine kids at desks with books and pencils, but the truth is a lot of the work, especially upwards of 3rd grade, is submitted electronically these days.”

Yang said her conversations with teachers and school administrators confirmed what she suspected: letter writing isn’t even part of many classrooms anymore, following the shift toward standardized testing with the 2010s Core Curriculum.

“When I first came up with the idea, I tested it with some neighborhood kids,” she said. “What I learned is that a lot of kids just didn’t know why you would write a letter, much less how the mail works.”

That was the spark to turn Dearist into more than just stationery. It became a tool to bridge gaps — between kids and their families, between analog and digital, and even between generations.

Yang says kids are now excited to write to grandparents, cousins, and friends. Parents are often flooded with nostalgia. And educators see the value in giving kids something hands-on, reflective, and meaningful.

“We’ve helped kids write and send over a thousand handwritten letters through Dearist,” Yang said. “One of the most common reactions people have is nostalgia, but that feeling is followed by a heavier feeling, that kids today are missing out on something.”

That idea — of creating closeness through letters — has been with Yang since she was a kid herself.

“Writing has always been a part of my life. Letter writing, in particular, was really the first tool I had for creating closeness with my friends,” she said. “Texts and email just don’t have that quality.”

And as for the letter that started it all? Yang says she’s tried to mail it since, but has never been able to find the address.

“I looked Rebecca W up on Facebook as well and could not find her,” she said. “Rebecca W, if you are out there, I would love to connect with you!”

This Mom Launched a Creative Letter-Writing Kit to Inspire Kids in a Digital World

Deep cleaning and decluttering a home is never easy. For empty nesters, it can be even harder.

After spending decades building a life and raising kids under one roof, many parents are left facing a mix of silence, nostalgia, and clutter. That’s the stage one 51-year-old mom found herself in — and she decided to do something about it.

In a Reddit post that struck a chord with others in a cleaning community, she opened up about learning to keep house for the first time after her kids moved out.

“In my entire life, my house has always been messy,” she wrote. “I mean, I didn’t have a disaster-level situation going on, but if someone dropped by unannounced, it would’ve been super embarrassing.”

She said she used to rely on a housekeeper when her kids were younger, just to keep up. But once she became an empty nester, she realized she never actually learned the basics of home upkeep.

That changed thanks to a book called Unfck Your Habitat: You’re Better Than Your Mess*, which gave her both the mindset and the tools to start fresh. She now follows a simple but consistent system — and offered eight tips that helped her turn things around.

1. Put stuff away, not down.
It sounds obvious, but she says this one change made a huge difference.
“Whatever you have goes right back where it’s supposed to go when I’m done with it.”

2. Do one load of laundry every day — and finish it.
No more piles of clean clothes left on chairs or floors.
“Just one load, start to finish. Wash, dry, fold, and put away,” she wrote. “Also, no chair or floor laundry. It gets put in the hamper or hung back up. No clothes are ever out.”

3. Make the bed. Every day.
She says it instantly makes the bedroom feel more peaceful.
“It just makes my bedroom look cleaner and I smile every time I come in my room,” she shared. “Plus we aren’t fighting over the covers when we get in because the bed is straightened out.”

4. Clean the rooms you use daily — daily.
She and her husband mainly use the master bathroom and kitchen, so that’s where she focuses her attention.
“I keep a stack of cleaning rags in my master bath… Every night, I spray the counter, wipe everything down, put everything back (that my husband leaves out), and wipe the mirror,” she explained. “I also wipe down the toilet. I find that I don’t need a huge, big cleaning of this space because I’m keeping it up daily. Same goes for the kitchen.”

5. No dishes in the sink. Ever.
Even if the dishwasher’s not full yet.
“Dishes are finished in the dishwasher? It’s emptied and dirty ones are placed inside while waiting for the dishwasher to get full.”

6. Shoes get put away immediately.
No hallway piles. No scattered sneakers.
“Shoes are put away immediately upon walking in the house,” she shared.

7. Use idle time to knock out small tasks.
“If it takes less than 5 minutes, clean it while you’re waiting for something else to get done.”

8. Skip the schedule — clean a little every day.
Instead of assigning cleaning days, she does small tasks constantly.
“My life is kind of unpredictable, we love traveling or going out for the day so my so-called cleaning schedule would be shot to hell every time,” she explained. “It’s better this way, because now I never feel behind.”

Her post struck a nerve with others going through the same phase of life — the part where the kids are gone, the house is quiet, and the clutter you once overlooked starts to feel overwhelming.

But now, she says her home feels better than it ever has.

“I smile every time I walk into a clean room,” she wrote. “It just feels like a fresh start.”

Empty Nester Reveals 8 Effective Decluttering Tips That Transformed Her Home

Just days before New Jersey voters head to the polls, Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli received a surprise that brought the campaign trail to a standstill — and left the crowd cheering.

Ciattarelli’s son, Army Captain Jake Ciattarelli, unexpectedly returned home from deployment in Kuwait to surprise his father at a campaign event at Murph’s Tavern in Totowa. The emotional reunion was caught on camera by New Jersey State Rep. Mike Inganamort, who shared the moment on social media.

“BIG SURPRISE GUEST: Jack’s son, Jake, straight from Kuwait! God Bless and thank you for your service. It’s time,” Inganamort wrote in the caption.

The footage shows Ciattarelli visibly moved as his son walks in, drawing applause from supporters gathered at the event.

Ciattarelli later shared the moment on X, writing, “What a crowd and what a surprise at Murph’s Tavern in Totowa today! The energy was absolutely unbeatable – you can feel it everywhere we go.”


The timing couldn’t have been more meaningful. New Jersey’s gubernatorial election is set for November 4, with Ciattarelli facing off against Democratic challenger Mikie Sherrill. As the race tightens, the moment offered a rare pause in the campaign — and a powerful reminder of the personal stakes behind public service.

Just days before New Jersey voters head to the polls, Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli received a surprise that brought the campaign trail to a standstill — and left the crowd cheering.Ciattarelli’s son, Army Captain Jake Ciattarelli, unexpectedly returned home from deployment in Kuwait to surprise his father at a campaign event at Murph’s Tavern in Totowa. The emotional reunion was caught on camera by New Jersey State Rep. Mike Inganamort, who shared the moment on social media.“BIG SURPRISE GUEST: Jack’s son, Jake, straight from Kuwait! God Bless and thank you for your service. It’s time,” Inganamort wrote in the caption.The footage shows Ciattarelli visibly moved as his son walks in, drawing applause from supporters gathered at the event.Ciattarelli later shared the moment on X, writing, “What a crowd and what a surprise at Murph’s Tavern in Totowa today! The energy was absolutely unbeatable – you can feel it everywhere we go.”




The timing couldn’t have been more meaningful. New Jersey’s gubernatorial election is set for November 4, with Ciattarelli facing off against Democratic challenger Mikie Sherrill. As the race tightens, the moment offered a rare pause in the campaign — and a powerful reminder of the personal stakes behind public service.

New Jersey Governor Candidate Gets Surprise Visit from Army Son Ahead of Election

For the fifth year in a row, Orijin Bees is making its mark in Amazon’s Toy Book, continuing a streak that highlights the company’s commitment to inclusion in the toy industry. The brand, co-founded by 11-year-old Esi Orijin, has become a go-to name for parents looking for dolls and plush toys that reflect the diversity of children’s skin tones, hair textures, and lived experiences.

Two of the brand’s standout collections — the Baby Bee Doll Collection and the Cuddle Bees — have already caught the attention of Oprah Winfrey, earning spots on her coveted “Favorite Things” list. The dolls are widely praised for their authentic features, from curly hair to deep skin tones, offering options that are still too rare on most toy store shelves.

Shoppers can find the full line of Orijin Bees products on the brand’s website, OrijinBees.com, which has served as both a sales platform and a storytelling hub. The site features not just products, but also stories and photos submitted by families who’ve finally found dolls that look like their children.

Orijin Bees has grown significantly since its early days as a direct-to-consumer brand. Before landing on shelves at major retailers, the company relied heavily on online sales to reach families across the country. That strategy turned out to be more than just convenient — it was central to the brand’s identity and growth.

Selling directly to customers gave Orijin Bees a unique advantage: the ability to quickly listen and respond to feedback from its community. Parents shared what they wanted to see more of, and the company listened — refining designs, adding features, and expanding its range in response to real voices.

“Our community helped shape what Orijin Bees is today,” the company says on its site. “Their stories, their kids, their feedback — that’s who we build for.”

But the connection goes deeper than commerce. OrijinBees.com also hosts educational resources and charitable programs, like the “Get One Gift One” initiative, where each purchase helps provide a doll to a child in need. It’s part of a broader effort to not just sell toys, but to build a culture of representation and care around them.

The website has become a kind of digital village, bringing families together through shared values and lived experiences. And with each new collection, each feature in a retailer catalog or media spotlight, the brand gets closer to its mission: making sure that every child can see themselves in the toys they play with.

For Orijin Bees, that mission isn’t just good business — it’s personal. And it’s working.

This 11-Year-Old's Doll Brand is Making Amazon’s Toy Book Again

Science Daily

What if the key to unlocking your earliest memories was seeing yourself as a child again?

A new study published in Scientific Reports suggests exactly that. Researchers found that when adults briefly saw a childlike version of their own face—reflected in real-time, as if it were their own—they were able to recall early childhood memories in greater detail than usual. It’s the first time scientists have shown that shifting how people perceive their own bodies can directly improve memory recall.

The experiment, run by neuroscientists at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) in Cambridge, used a technique called the enfacement illusion. Fifty adult volunteers took part. Half of them viewed a live video feed of their face digitally altered to look like a younger version of themselves, while the rest saw their regular adult face. In both cases, the video feed mirrored their movements, helping reinforce the sensation that the image on screen was their own reflection.

After the illusion, all participants were asked to complete an autobiographical memory interview. They were prompted to recall moments from their childhood, as well as more recent events from the past year. The researchers then measured the level of detail in their responses.

Those who had seen the younger version of themselves recalled significantly richer and more vivid details from their childhood. In contrast, the control group showed no improvement.

Lead author Dr. Utkarsh Gupta, now a Cognitive Neuroscience Research Fellow at the University of North Dakota, said the reason may lie in how the brain encodes memories in relation to our physical self.

“All the events that we remember are not just experiences of the external world, but are also experiences of our body, which is always present,” Gupta said. “We discovered that temporary changes to the bodily self, specifically, embodying a childlike version of one's own face, can significantly enhance access to childhood memories.”

In other words, when people temporarily saw themselves as children, their brains may have responded by making it easier to retrieve memories that were formed when their body—and self-image—looked like that.

The finding opens up new ways to explore the connection between memory and self-perception, particularly for what’s known as “childhood amnesia”—the common inability to recall memories from the earliest years of life.

Senior author Professor Jane Aspell, head of the Self & Body Lab at Anglia Ruskin University, said the results could one day lead to new therapeutic techniques.

“When our childhood memories were formed, we had a different body,” Aspell said. “So we wondered: if we could help people experience aspects of that body again, could we help them recall their memories from that time?

“Our findings suggest that the bodily self and autobiographical memory are linked, as temporary changes to bodily experience can facilitate access to remote autobiographical memories.”

While the study focused on faces, Aspell said future research could expand the illusion to other parts of the body, or create more immersive simulations—such as full-body avatars in virtual reality. These methods might eventually be adapted to help people with memory impairments or degenerative conditions.

The broader implication is that our sense of self—how we feel in our own body—may play a more active role in how we access and organize memories than previously thought.

“This might be because the brain encodes bodily information as part of the details of an event,” Gupta said. “Reintroducing similar bodily cues may help us retrieve those memories, even decades later.”

For now, the research is still in its early stages. But it’s a step toward understanding how something as simple as changing the face we see in the mirror could help us reconnect with the earliest parts of our past.

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