Awe is not an everyday emotion. You don't wake up awestruck. A satisfying lunch doesn't leave you filled with awe. Even a great day is unlikely to leave you in a state of jaw-dropped, consciousness-opening fear and trembling. Perhaps that's why, up until about ten years ago, psychology "had surprisingly little to say about awe," wrote Dacher Keltner and Jonathan Haidt in a 2003 paper. The two psychology professors aimed to outline the key qualities of an awe-inspiring encounter.

Researchers estimate that between 30% and 60% of our happiness is out of our control. Here's what to do about that remaining percentage.

When the Crown Colony of Vancouver Island united with the mainland in 1866, it took two more years of heated debate to decide on the colonial capital. Both New Westminster and Victoria were in the running. Victoria supporters used every sort of influence they could muster to ensure Victoria’s victory, including sabotaging the efforts of Nanaimo MLA, Captain William Hales Franklyn.

You can spot them. The frozen ones who come outside at lunch like sun-seeking turtles, cardigans balled up next to them, bare shoulders defrosting in the noon sunlight, no matter how wilting it is outdoors. Every single woman I talked to in downtown Washington on a hot, humid July afternoon was thawing out. “I. Am. Fuh-reezing. Feel my hand — I’m still cold,” said Ruth Marshall, 64, who was seated on a park bench, face to the sky. And, yes, her hand felt like a cold steak.

There's a lot to celebrate about beautiful British Columbia, so we thought we'd gather up a few facts and figures.