This year's box office was one of the worst in recent years.

A lack of really huge summer blockbusters resulted in the lowest domestic box-office since 2007. According to BoxOffice.com, this year's movies made an approximate total gross of $9.9 billion to date.

Superhero movies, family-friendly flicks, and high-profile book adaptations were big hits this year. Marvel did particularly well with several major releases. 

We know "Guardians of The Galaxy" was an unexpected summer blockbuster and that "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1" performed well, but which movie reigned supreme at the box office?

We've compiled the highest-grossing movies of 2014.*

*Grosses as of 12/24/14. We will continue to update this post accordingly.

15. "Lucy": $458.9 million

Studio: Universal
Release date: Jul. 25, 2014
Estimated budget: $40 million
Domestic gross:  $126.7 million

The critically divisive sci-fi indie starring Scarlett Johansson as a young woman who could unlock the full potential of the human brain exploded at the box office. It helped that the film made this out to be a female superhero movie starring a popular "Avengers" character. There’s been a lot of anticipation for Johansson to get her own spin-off Black Widow film. "Lucy" proved that even without the rest of the Avengers at her side, Johansson can bring in a large audience. After the film's success, both Warner Bros. and Marvel announced future female standalone movies.

(Source: Box Office Mojo)

14. "The LEGO Movie": $468.1 million

Studio: Warner Bros.
Release date: Feb. 7, 2014
Estimated budget: $60 million
Domestic gross: $257.8 million

"The LEGO Movie" debuted at number one on the box-office charts with a $69.1 million opening weekend, making for one of the biggest February openings ever.

The universal praise for the movie and a catchy theme song from the talented writer-director team of Christopher Miller and Phil Lord ("Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs,""21 Jump Street") helped prove everything about a LEGO movie is awesome. The film's combination of smart, subversive commentary about conformity, pop culture references and Easter eggs, along with top-notch voice talent (Chris Pratt, Will Arnett, and Elizabeth Banks) all made for an appealing movie for both kids and adults. Warner Bros. already has three sequels in the works including a Batman spin-off. 

With no Pixar film this year, "The LEGO Movie" has a good chance at taking home the Oscar for best-animated film. 

(Source: Box Office Mojo)

13. "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles": $477.2 million

Studio: Paramount
Release date: Aug. 8, 2014
Estimated budget: $125 million
Domestic gross:  $191.2 million

Even though the movie was critically panned, it still managed to be a box-office success, showing nostalgia and sheer curiosity are powerful tools for bringing in audience members. The movie also starred Megan Fox.

"Ninja Turtles" debuted at number one opening weekend, knocking "Guardians Of The Galaxy"off its box-office throne with $65.6 million opening weekend. The film went on to be one of the highest-grossing movies of the summer. Paramount has no plans on retiring this franchise; it already has a sequel planned for June 2016.

(Source: Box Office Mojo)

It's the holidays and you're probably away from the trading desk and spending some quality time with your family.

That doesn't mean you can't get a little Wall Street in your day, though. Why not kick back on the couch and watch one of these Wall Street movies during your downtime. 

You'll definitely enjoy yourself, and you might even learn something.

Rogue Trader (1999)

In a sentence: Faster paced British version of "Wall Street."

Plot: Based on the real-life story of Barings Bank trader Nick Leeson, Ewan McGregor does a surprisingly awesome job of emulating the British wunderkind down to his addiction to fruit candies. While a relatively unsuccessful movie at the box office, Rogue Trader is entertaining.

Trading Places (1983)

In a sentence: No movie about Wall Street is funnier than the 1983 comedy "Trading Places."

Plot: Eddie Murphy and Dan Akroyd are at their best as director John Landis tells the tale of how one man's fall from Wall Street is another man's blessing. Watching Murphy talk about futures and markets is hilarious and unparalleled in humor.

Barbarians At The Gate (1993)

In a sentence: It's another classic and it's a fantastic book too. 

Plot: It's about the leveraged buyout of RJR Nabsico. 

During the holidays, it seems that everyone sends and receives greeting cards.

Presidents are no exception. 

For more than 80 years, sitting US Presidents have sent out Christmas cards and holiday greetings cards to staff and important supporters across the country. Who gets the cards changes from year to year, but each card is unique.

With the help of the White House Historical Association, we have pulled together 64 White House holiday cards from the past 88 years. Happy holidays!

Calvin Coolidge, 1927

Herbert Hoover, 1929

Herbert Hoover, 1932

Last week, the US announced major policy changes that will move towards normalizing relations between the US and Cuba. 

These changes will make it easier for Americans to travel to Cuba — and that is great news for Americans, because Cuba is full of gorgeous beaches, historic architecture, and incredible natural landscapes teeming with wildlife. 

Explore the colorful buildings of Habana Vieja (Old Havana).

Stroll along the water on Havana's Malecón.

This area is particularly beautiful at sunset.

A CEO earning millions of dollars a year isn't necessarily overpaid depending on the size of the company, its industry, and how well the company has performed.

Which tech CEOs are actually the highest paid and lowest paid according to that standard? We turned to Robin Ferracone, a compensation expert who wrote the book on fair pay (author of "Fair Pay, Fair Play: Aligning Executive Performance and Pay") and asked her. Ferracone is CEO of executive compensation consultancy Farient.

She and her team calculated three-year average pay (from 2011-2013) for us. They included the impact of previous stock grants. They compared that to what their peers earned. And from that they came up with a "Performance Adjusted Compensation" number for each exec.

We ranked the CEOs based on their "Performance Adjusted Compensation."

No. 10 Highest Paid: Intralinks' Ronald Hovsepian At $8.45 million

CEO: Ronald Hovsepian

Company: IntraLinks Holdings

3-Year-Average "Performance Adjusted Compensation":  $8.45 million.

2013 total compensation:$3.4 million

Reason: His "IPO option grant has appreciated in value" says Ferracone.

But the same can't be said for investors that bought stock on IPO day back in 2010. It opened at $13 and now trades below $12 at one point this year hitting as low as $7.76.

No. 9 Highest Paid: Zebra's Anders Gustafsson At $15.23 million

CEO: Anders Gustafsson

Company: Zebra Technologies

3-Year-Average "Performance Adjusted Compensation": $15.23 million

2013 total compensation:$4.02 million

Reason:"Equity grants increased in 2013. Performance-based equity award for the 2011 - 2013 performance period vested in 2013 at 180% of target," says Ferracone.

Gustafsson is clearly being rewarded for the gutsy move he made this year when Zebra bought its much bigger competitor Motorola Solutions for $3.45 billion cash.

No. 8 Highest Paid: 3D Systems' Abraham Reichental At $15.84 million

CEO: Abraham Reichental

Company: 3D Systems 

3-Year-Average "Performance Adjusted Compensation": $15.84 million

2013 total compensation:$10.9 million

Reason: 3D systems granted Reichental almost $9.4 million in restricted stock units, double last years and almost six times more than the year before, landing him on this highest paid list.

"Equity grants increased in 2013 over historic norms with significant stock appreciation increasing value of historical grants," says Ferracone.  

However, Ferracone points out that 3D Systems has a history of fair pay, so she wouldn't call  him "overpaid" based on the one year's compensation.

It used to be so easy to make friends. In grade school and college, you're tossed into a situation where everybody has to get to know each other.

But once you're shot out into the adult world, it gets much harder. Luckily, we've got some tips to make it easier, based on the latest research.

Invest in situations that encourage friendship.

Back in the 1950s, sociologists discovered three factors that are necessary for making friends: 

• Proximity: You have to simply be near one another.

• Unplanned interactions: You run into each other even when you don't schedule it.

• Privacy: You need to be in an environment where you can confide in one another.

As the New York Times has reported, adulthood provides few situations where all three are available. 

So let's get to the methods for making them happen. 

Get out of the office.

Lots of us work in open offices.

Susan Cain, the author of "Quiet: The Power of Introverts In A World That Can't Stop Talking," says open office designs may be popular, but they actually provide a barrier to building relationships.

"Open office plans are harder to make friendships in,"she says. "When people are first forming friendships, the currency they're using is the exchange of confidences."

Thus the need to head elsewhere.

Become a regular at your neighborhood bar, cafe, or restaurant.

The key is to spend time with the same people. Eventually, the mere exposure effect takes over. 

The mere exposure effect is where "people feel a preference for people or things simply because they are familiar,"writes Psych Central. "Just because we see a stranger occasionally does not make them any more trustworthy ... we just feel like they are because we 'know' them." 

Thus the value of being a regular at a bar, cafe, or restaurant: If you run into the same people again and again, you'll feel more comfortable around them, and thus more apt to form bonds. 

Facebook. It's not just for posting baby photos and complaining about politics!

In fact, some people used the social network in amazing ways this past year.

They used Facebook to connect, to make friends, to meet new people, to achieve dreams, and share goals. 

Facebook put together a list of people who used Facebook in unconventional and inspiring ways.

Here are some of their stories.

Three-year-old Rylee Taylor has been diagnosed with a rare eye condition after the picture posted on Facebook by her mother led to concerns from friends.

You can read the full story here.

Katheryn was abandoned as a newborn in a Burger King bathroom in 1986. She posted a plea to Facebook in an effort to find her biological mother, and within days they found each other and were reunited this year.

Patsy Sutton accidentally sent a Facebook message to John Neeley thinking he was a former classmate of hers with the same name. The two got to know each other on Facebook and fell in love.

"Gold gets dug out of the ground in Africa or someplace. Then we melt it down, dig another hole, bury it again and pay people to stand around guarding it. It has no utility. Anyone watching from Mars would be scratching their head."

That's what Warren Buffett said back in 1998.

Gold has long been considered a safe-haven investment. However, the price of gold has performed dismally in recent years.

For those who don't trust the conventional financial markets, there are alternative more unorthodox ways to put away wealth.

We put together a list of some odd assets that have performed relatively well.

But be warned. These assets are very illiquid, and there's no guarantee that their values won't plunge as gold has before them.

Stamps

At a 2010 auction, bond guru Bill Gross said rare stamps were "better than the stock market." Gross has reportedly spent up to $100 million investing in stamps.

It is a lucrative hobby: The GB30 Rarities Index, which tracks the performance of the collectibles market, rose 74% in the six years following the Great Recession as financial markets tumbled. 

Sources: MarketWatch, Stanley Gibbons Investment, Paul Fraser Collectibles

Guns and Ammo

The ability of guns and ammunition to store value makes them an appealing investment option. According to ammo.net, the price of Remington .223 rounds rose 224% from 1999 to 2011 — well above the rate of inflation. Gun sales spiked after President Barack Obama's two election victories, in anticipation of more stringent gun-control laws.

Aaron Clarey, an economist and author, notes: "While an arsenal of 600 guns is an impossible number of guns to even move, let alone use, having 'some' guns not only serves as a safety measure, but also an investment ... Ammo, is very much like coin or currency. Holds value, has intrinsic value, will have value today and certain in a SHTF scenario." 

Source: Captain Capitalism 

Chinese Ceramics

China is a leading producer of ceramic art. The Knight Frank Luxury Investment Index forecasts a 45% increase in their value over the next five years.

"As China was the world's premier producer of Ceramic Art for most of the past thousand years, people are mainly interested in pieces from that glorious period ending about 100 years ago,"notes Richard Mills, chief curator at Chalre Associates. In April, a Ming dynasty porcelain cup with a painting of a rooster sold for $36 million in an auction. It was one of only 19 known to exist.

Sources: Charle Associates, Knight Frank Luxury Investment Index.

Buying a fitness tracker can be difficult.

On the surface, it seems like they all do the exact same thing: count your calories, measure how far you've run, and monitor your sleep. But there are a few areas where some fitness bands succeed over others.

Here's a look at some of the best ones you can buy today and how they compare. 

The Basis Peak is the best fitness band for monitoring your sleep.

The Basis Peak offers some functionality you'd get with a smartwatch, such as caller ID and text messages, but it's prominently a fitness tracker.

The Peak can count your calories, how many steps you've taken, and measure your heart rate, but where it really shines is the sleep tracking department. The Basis Peak can tell you how much time you spent in REM sleep, deep sleep, and light sleep in addition to showing you how long you slept, when you woke up, and how many times you tossed and turned. That's more data about your sleep cycle than you'd get with most competitors. 

Read our full review of the Basis Peak>>

Price:$199

The Jawbone UP24 is the sleekest band you can buy, and its app is fantastic.

Jawbone's UP24 is slimmer and sleeker than all of its competitors. However, you'll have to sacrifice the ability to glance down at your wrist to view how many calories you've burned or the time since it doesn't have a screen. Jawbone's fitness band collects a lot of the same data as it's competitors (i.e. sleep tracking, calories burned, distance run), but it's food logging system makes it stand out.

Jawbone includes a large database of local restaurants so you can just tap the meal you ate to log it. It also includes common pairings (i.e. bacon and eggs) so that you don't have to log foods separately. 

Price:$79.99

The Fitbit Charge is an excellent fitness tracker with a screen.

If you're looking for a good fitness tracker with a screen that's more affordable than the Peak, try the Fitbit Charge. It's comfortable to wear throughout the day, and its app is easy to use since most of the information you need is visible from the dashboard.

The one metric you can get through the Fitbit that you can't with other fitness trackers is how many flights of stairs you've climbed. The Charge also has a caller ID function that shows you when you're getting an incoming call. But, it's food logging system isn't as seamless as Jawbone's and it can't measure your heart rate like the Basis Peak. Basis' tracker also gives you more information about your sleep cycle than the Charge.

Price:$129.95

At the beginning of the year, not many predicted the stock market would blast to new highs like they did. Almost no one predicted interest rates would stay this low. And few would've guessed oil prices would rally and crash the way they did.

Looking forward, the analysts at Goldman Sachs have been rolling out their 2015 forecasts through a series of notes. They've already offered their top eight trades for the year while forecasting that the S&P 500 would climb modestly to 2,100.

All of their forecasts fit in the context of their "Top Ten Market Themes For 2015."

In a new 23-page report, analysts led by Dominic Wilson predict there will continue to be divergences in central bank policy as the Fed remains likely to raise rates next year while central banks in Japan and Europe loosen policy to stimulate their economies. Major asset classes will see low returns next year, and currency hedging will become an increasingly important component of investing.

We pulled some nuggets from Goldman's report.

1. A broadening recovery

The US will lead the global economic recovery, while growth in developing markets will be boosted by low oil and commodity prices.

"We also have more confidence in our view that the US expansion has several years to run and in the resilience of the US economy to weak overseas demand," the analysts wrote.

Source: Goldman Sachs

2. Developed market divergence lives on

The disparity between both growth and monetary policy around the developed world will continue into next year, with the Fed likely to begin raising rates while the European Central Bank and Bank of Japan keep easing.

The analysts wrote: "This divergence has both an absolute and a relative dimension. In absolute terms, within DM economies, the continuation of softer growth and lower inflation in much of the non-US DM world will continue to keep the US yield structure lower than it would otherwise be. That force is likely to be less intense than it was in 2014, when Bund yields have helped to drag UST yields lower. But it is one reason to be confident that the rise in US yields will continue to be relatively moderate. On a relative basis, we think there is still scope for front-end rate differentials between the US and many others to widen further, which is a key driver of our view of a stronger USD."

Source: Goldman Sachs

3. The new oil order

Lower oil prices (a 5% - 15% deflation) will linger and provide a boost for consumers' disposable income. But this may be a headwind for energy stocks, and commodities like copper and aluminum that use oil in their production.

"The disinflationary impulse from lower commodity prices sweeping across the world is likely to be manifested first in lower headline inflation rates," the analysts explained. "But, by boosting disposable income, there is also likely to be a positive impact on GDP growth in EM and DM oil importers that should become visible as the year progresses."

Source: Goldman Sachs

One of the best things about Android is its flexibility — meaning you can customize it any way you want with widgets and themes.

Widgets are interactive icons that live on your phone's home screen. They show you information without requiring you to launch an app or dig around in your phone's settings.

Widgets have been available for almost as long as Android has existed, but they've become more polished and functional over the years.

Apple recently introduced a similar functionality to the iPhone with iOS 8, but it only works with a limited number of apps and lives in the Notification drawer rather than the home screen.

1Weather is an excellent weather app with tons of widget styles to choose from.

With 1Weather, you can choose between six different widgets for your home screen. The design of the app itself is clean and clear, and it offers extended forecasts for a 10-day period. 1Weather packs a ton of information into its widget, such as temperature, precipitation, what temperature it feels like outside, and more. 

The Google Keep widget is a great way to quickly see your to-do list.

If you frequently use Google Keep, installing the widget on your Android phone's home screen can help you make the most of the service. With the widget, you can see your recent notes, recordings, and photos without having to open the app. 

You can create a custom widget for your favorite contacts.

If there's a particular person you frequently need to get in touch with, you can create your own shortcut to that person's contact info on your home screen. Just open up the contact you want to add, press the menu button, and then press Add Shortcut, and you're all set. 

So you managed to get your hands on a new Android phone, but what apps do you download?

While it's always good to have the essentials like Spotify and Uber, there's also some impressive newcomers like Humin, which acts like your digital butler, and Elevate, which helps you improve your focus, speaking skills, and memory.

To help you get started, we've collected the best apps to get your Android phone ready for action.

Humin acts like your very own digital butler.

Humin is an app that remembers all the tiny details about how and where you met someone, so you can focus on the moment rather than remembering logistics. All you need is someone's number, and Humin will do the rest. You'll then be able to search through your contact using familiar phrases like "met last week" or "lives in Brooklyn."

Price: Free

Elevate trains your brain.

Elevate features 25 short mini games that train your brain by asking you questions that will build your memory, reading comprehension, writing, math, focus, and speaking skills.

Price: Free

Yahoo Weather is the most beautiful weather app out there.

Yahoo Weather is an elegant weather app that offers hourly, 5-day, and 10-day forecasts. There's animations for sunrise and sunset,  and the app pulls from a collection of beautiful Flickr photos so it always looks fresh.

Price:Free

In 1985, two British climbers, Joe Simpson and Simon Yates, became the first to ascend the west face of Siula Grande, a 21,000-foot peak in the Peruvian Andes.

What happened next is one of the most remarkable and inspiring survival stories ever. It's also an extraordinary example of self-reliance, decision-making under duress, and force of will.

One of the climbers, Joe Simpson, wrote a book about the experience called "Touching The Void." In 2003, the story was made into a movie directed by Kevin Macdonald. The movie was narrated by Simpson and Yates, with actors re-enacting the events in Peru and the Alps.

Using screenshots from the movie, I've told an abridged version of the story below. You can also buy the book or movie here, or watch the movie on Netflix.

The approach to Siula Grande is a two-day hike from the nearest road.

The climbers, Joe Simpson and Simon Yates, establish a base camp about 4-5 miles from the mountain. Then they set off...

The route to the mountain passes a glacial lake, followed by a long hike up a valley and over the glacier itself.

Did you get a iPhone 6 or 6 Plus for the holidays? Here are a few of our favorite tips and tricks for your new phone.

Note: Many of these tips work with older iPhone models too. We'll let you know if something only works on the iPhone 6.

If you're stuck in a group text message thread and you want to stop receiving alerts, tap "Details" on the top right of the screen. The tap "Leave this Conversation" at the bottom of the next screen.

To access your recent contacts, press the home button twice quickly. You'll see a list of the last few people you contacted at the top of your screen.

Set up Apple Pay. Open the Passbook app. You'll be prompted to input your credit card information. After that, you can pay for stuff just by tapping your phone against a special pad at the store. (iPhone 6/6Plus only.)

The 2015 Sony World Photography Awards may be still open to submissions for another few weeks, but the World Photography Organization has decided to reveal a selection of some of their favorite submissions from the contest so far.

Last year’s contest, which saw more than 140,000 entries, was the Awards’ most successful in its seven-year history. Judging from the photos shared by the World Photography Organization, this year could be even better.

 To submit your own photos, head to the World Photo Organization. The contest is open to entries in the Open and Youth competitions until January 5th and in the Professional competition until January 8th. 

"I was taking pictures of some Orangutans in Bali, Indonesia and then it started to rain. Just before I put my camera away, I saw this Orangutan took a banana leaf and put it on top on his head to protect himself from the rain," said photographer Andrew Suryono.

Fiona, the girl in the photo, is the youngest of photographer Arief Siswandhono's two daughters. Fiona used to be scared of cats, which was why the family adopted two kittens. After seven months, Fiona is no longer afraid.

In the Lower Omo Valley of Southern Ethiopia, a man of the Hamar tribe collects wood to build a defensive fence for his cattle.

Christmas is the unofficial start of the NBA season for many casual fans.

The NFL season is dying down, people are stuck inside, and there are nationally televised games on ABC.

By New Year's Day the NBA season finally feels like it's here, and we have a better understanding of which teams are for real, and which teams are headed for the lottery in 2015.

1. Golden State Warriors (previously: 1st)

Current record: 23-3 (1st in West)

Offensive ranking: 9th

Defensive ranking: 1st

One thing to know: There are lingering concerns (offense when Steph Curry is on the bench, Andrew Bogut's latest injury, etc.), but right now this is the most complete team in the league.

2. Memphis Grizzlies (previously: 3rd)

Current record: 21-7 (3rd in West)

Offensive ranking: 8th

Defensive ranking: 9th

One thing to know: This has always been a great defensive team, but now Marc Gasol is putting up better offensive numbers than ever. 

3. Portland Trail Blazers (previously: 6th)

Current record: 22-7 (2nd in West)

Offensive ranking: 6th

Defensive ranking: 3rd

One thing to know: Damian Lillard has taken The Leap this year. He's currently fifth in the league in win shares, and he's top 10 in points per game and assists per game.

Think there's no such thing as a high-paying, low-stress job?

Think again.

It turns out there are plenty of low-stress professions in which you can pull in a pretty penny. 

We reached out to Laurence Shatkin, Ph.D., a career-information expert, to find out which ones fit the bill.

Shatkin compared average salaries and stress levels of the 767 occupations identified by the U.S. Department of Labor to identify jobs with that perfect combination of high pay and low stress.

The stress tolerance for each job is a rating on a scale from zero to 100, where a lower rating signals less stress. It measures how frequently workers must accept criticism and deal effectively with high stress on the job. The data was gathered from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Occupational Information Network (O*NET).

Orthodontists

Stress tolerance: 67.0

Average annual salary: $196,270

What they do: Examine, diagnose, and treat dental malocclusions and oral cavity anomalies. Design and fabricate appliances to realign teeth and jaws to produce and maintain normal function and to improve appearance.

Education requirements: Bachelor's degree, four-year dental school, and one to two years of residency training

Stress tolerance is measured by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and Occupational Information Network, with lower scores indicating less stress on the job.

Marine Engineers and Naval Architects

Stress tolerance: 67.0

Average annual salary: $94,040

What they do: Design, build, and maintain ships, including aircraft carriers, submarines, sailboats, and tankers. Marine engineers work on the mechanical systems, such as propulsion and steering. Naval architects work on the basic design, including the form and stability of hulls.

Education requirements: Bachelor's degree (practical experience is also highly valued)

Stress tolerance is measured by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and Occupational Information Network, with lower scores indicating less stress on the job.

Computer Hardware Engineers

Stress tolerance: 67.0

Average annual salary: $106,930

What they do: Research, design, develop, or test computer or computer-related equipment for commercial, industrial, military, or scientific use.

Education requirements: Bachelor's degree from an accredited program

Stress tolerance is measured by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and Occupational Information Network, with lower scores indicating less stress on the job.

In the final NFL power rankings of the regular season, the Dallas Cowboys are threatening to break into the top tier.

For two months the Packers, Seahawks, Patriots, and Broncos have been the unquestioned four best teams in the league.

Could Dallas make a late push and join that list of Super Bowl contenders?

1. Seattle Seahawks (previously: 1st)

Record: 11-4

Week 16 result: 35-6 win over Arizona

One thing to know: With the way their defense has played in the last two months, they're unbeatable if they are able to get the type of offensive production we saw in Week 16.

2. New England Patriots (previously: 2nd)

Record: 12-3

Week 16 result: 17-16 win over New York Jets

One thing to know: The Patriots clinched homefield advantage throughout the playoffs — which could be huge if they play Denver in the AFC title game.

3. Green Bay Packers (previously: 3rd)

Record: 11-4

Week 16 result: 20-3 win over Tampa Bay

One thing to know: Week 16 was the first time in five weeks that the Packers beat a team by more than one score.

There's no shortage of advice on where to meet the right person, how to make people like you, and how to build a successful relationship.

Sometimes, though, people are attracted to each other for seemingly arbitrary reasons, such as what color you wear or whether you have a pet.

What might influence someone to fall for you? We pored through research on the psychology of attraction and found some fascinating reasons why people fall in love.

If you do something thrilling together.

In 1974, Donald Dutton and Arthur Aron wanted to test the connection between sexual attraction and anxiety. In their study, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, they placed men under two conditions. The first walked across a high, shaky bridge. The other was on a low, sturdy bridge. Afterward, they met a female experimenter who asked them a series of questions and gave the men her phone number "just in case."

The men who met the woman after walking on the high bridge were more likely to call her than the men who met her on the low bridge. Psychologists call this phenomenon the "misattribution of arousal." The high bridge created a sense of arousal from the anxiety, but men mistakenly thought it was from the attraction to the woman.

This is why many people like to do exciting things on first dates, such as visiting amusement parks, skydiving, or riding motorcycles.

If you prime them to feel more attracted to you.

Priming is an implicit memory effect, which means that the stimuli you are exposed to can influence your response to later stimuli. For example, if people take a multiple choice test with words that have to do with "oldness" like "Florida,""gray," and "weak," they tend to walk slower afterward.

Yale psychologist John Bargh performed an experimentin which participants held warm or cold beverages and had to rate whether someone's personality was warm or cold. Participants who held warm beverages judged the person to have a warm personality, because their minds were already primed to think that way.

If you take someone on a coffee date instead of an ice cream date, they may feel more warmly toward you.

If you live close to them.

It's not only important to be close to someone emotionally — you should also strive to be close physically. According to an experiment at MIT, the proximity of students' dorm rooms increased how close they felt to one another.

This is because they had more passive interactions, like brief meetings as they passed one another in the hallway, which made them feel more intimate.

It's known as the mere exposure effect, which states that familiarity plays a huge role in attraction.

What you say communicates only about half of what people hear.

According to UCLA professor Albert Mehrabian, 55% of the message you convey comes from your body language.

That's why studying body language has such a long history.

None other than Charles Darwin wrote the first academic investigation into body language, his "The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals," published back in 1872. 

Over the past century science has made lots of advances into understanding the many social meanings of body language. Here are 17 of the most useful findings, pulled from Psychology Today, research journals, and a few awesome books. 

Max Nisen contributed research to an earlier version of this article.

The shoulder shrug is a universal signal of not knowing what's going on.

According to Barbara Pease and Allan Pease, authors of "The Definitive Book of Body Language," everybody does the shoulder shrug. 

The shrug is a "good example of a universal gesture that is used to show that a person doesn't know or doesn't understand what you are saying," they write.

"It's a multiple gesture that has three main parts," they continue. "Exposed palms to show nothing is being concealed in the hands, hunched shoulders to protect the throat from attack, and raised brow, which is a universal, submissive greeting." 

Open palms are an ancient display of honesty.

Ever notice how when someone swears to tell the truth in a court of law, they put one hand on a religious text and raise their other hand into the air, palm facing whoever they're speaking to? 

That's because, the Peases write in "The Definitive Book of Body Language,"an open palm has been associated with "truth, honesty, allegiance, and submission" throughout Western history. 

"Just as a dog will expose its throat to show submission or surrender to the victor," they write, "humans use their palms to show that they are unarmed and therefore not a threat." 

A pointed finger with a closed hand is an attempt at displaying dominance.

If someone is closing their palm and pointing with their index finger, then they're trying to display dominance, though it doesn't always work out. 

"The Palm-Closed-Finger-Pointed is a fist where the pointed finger is used like a symbolic club with which the speaker figuratively beats his listeners into submission,"the Peases write. "Subconsciously, it evokes negative feelings in others because it precedes a right overarm blow, a primal move most primates use in a physical attack."