Researchers in Milan found that subway commuters are kinder when Batman is present. Yes, that Batman. I understand that sentence reads like a hallucination. I assure you, you did not just have a severe mental episode.

According to a study published in npj Mental Health Research, the sudden appearance of something weird, like, say, a silent guy in full Dark Knight regalia, snaps people out of their commuter stupors and makes them more likely to help others.

The research team, led by clinical psychology professor Francesco Pagnini of Università Cattolica, ran a simple test. First, they had a woman who appeared pregnant enter a subway car and counted how many people offered her a seat. Then they repeated the scenario, but this time Batman slipped into the train from another door.

A Random

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