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title: 5 Things You Can Tell Just By Looking At Someone: Backed By Research
description: Areas of discovery range from personality to job performance to political preference
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author: Eric Barker
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article:published_time: 2015-01-23T05:01:45.000Z
article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:49:38.232Z
article:section: Ideas
og:title: 5 Things You Can Tell Just By Looking At Someone: Backed By Research
og:description: Areas of discovery range from personality to job performance to political preference
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# 5 Things You Can Tell Just By Looking At Someone: Backed By Research

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> Last updated: September 2026.

## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ

### Definition

TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. Readers can join any of them at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=55c0c86d-d8ea-434b-be96-a248e458b324&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1).

### The seven newsletters

| Newsletter | Covers | Frequency |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The Brief | The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors | Daily |
| Inside TIME | A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) |
| Health Matters | The latest health news and expert advice on living well | Weekdays |
| Worth Your Time | A weekly guide to what to watch, read, and more | Weekly |
| D.C. Brief | Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington | Twice a week |
| Future Proof | Making sense of the climate and energy economy | Friday (1x per week) |
| In the Loop | Essential insights into the unfolding AI revolution | Tuesday and Friday (2x per week) |

Source: TIME, August 2026.

### Key data points

| Metric | Value | Source |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Engaged newsletter audience | 1.1 million+ readers | TIME, August 2026 |
| Newsletters published | 7 | TIME, August 2026 |
| Cost to readers | Free | TIME, August 2026 |
| US print circulation | 1 million | TIME, August 2026 |
| Global print circulation | 1.15 million | TIME, August 2026 |
| Publishing since | 1923 | TIME |

### TIME Newsletters: key statements

*   Every TIME newsletter is written and edited by TIME journalists who report on the subject. None is generated automatically.
*   TIME has published continuously since 1923. Its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting, so readers can trust what they read.
*   All seven newsletters are free. Readers pick the ones they want at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=55c0c86d-d8ea-434b-be96-a248e458b324&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1).
*   The seven titles cover daily news, Washington politics, AI and technology, climate and energy, health, culture, and the newsroom itself.
*   A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/subscribe?i=55c0c86d-d8ea-434b-be96-a248e458b324&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1).

### FAQ

#### What newsletters does TIME publish?

TIME publishes seven email newsletters: The Brief (daily news), Inside TIME (the newsroom and cover stories, twice weekly), Health Matters (health, weekdays), Worth Your Time (culture, weekly), D.C. Brief (Washington politics, twice weekly), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers.

#### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to?

It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters.

#### Are TIME's newsletters free?

Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent.

#### Who writes TIME's newsletters?

TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk.

#### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter?

Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement.

### Sources

*   TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=55c0c86d-d8ea-434b-be96-a248e458b324&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1)

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<!-- video src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/Bdu4TTCk.m3u8" -->
## Video: 10 Books Everyone Should Read, According to Successful People

[Watch (HLS stream): 10 Books Everyone Should Read, According to Successful People](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/Bdu4TTCk.m3u8) (1:07)

![10 Books Everyone Should Read, According to Successful People](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/Bdu4TTCk/poster.jpg?width=720)

_Published 2016-01-27_


by 

[Eric Barker](https://time.com/author/eric-barker/)


## Eric Barker


Jan 23, 2015 5:01 AM UTC

by 

[Eric Barker](https://time.com/author/eric-barker/)


## Eric Barker


Jan 23, 2015 5:01 AM UTC

## Here are the things you can tell just by looking at someone

* As for personality, you can generally trust your gut when guessing [extraversion, self-esteem, and religiosity](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/how-much-can-you-tell-about-someones-personal). If you have a spontaneously taken photo of them you can add in [agreeableness, emotional stability, openness, likability, and loneliness](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/personalities-judged-by-physical-appearance-a). Your predictions are probably more accurate [when evaluating good-looking people](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/is-it-easier-to-tell-what-beautiful-people-ar).

**_Eric Barker:_**[_How To Stop Being Lazy And Get More Done – 5 Expert Tips_](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/08/how-to-stop-being-lazy/)

* Who is a good leader? The [face will tell you](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/can-you-tell-how-successful-a-firm-is-just-by). (True [for women](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/can-you-tell-how-successful-a-female-ceos-com) as well as men.) Or just look at the [earlobes](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/can-you-judge-leadership-potential-by-looking). Not sure which team has the better quarterback? Make your guess [based on how handsome he is](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/are-better-nfl-quarterbacks-better-looking). You can probably [tell whether a politician is a Democrat or Republican](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/can-you-tell-if-a-politician-is-liberal-or-co). Or even a non-politician. Or [which politician is likely to win](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/when-it-comes-to-politics-this-is-how-shallow).

* We’re pretty good at telling [who is a criminal](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/can-you-tell-who-is-a-criminal-just-by-lookin). At an above chance level you’ll be able to tell [which people are America’s Most Wanted and which are Nobel Peace Prize winners](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/can-you-tell-nobel-peace-prize-winners-from-a). If you think someone might be a psychopath, [trust your gut](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/would-you-know-a-psychopath-if-you-saw-one). (And move quick, psychopaths are [quite good at sizing you up](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/can-psychopaths-assess-vulnerability-just-by) too.) Tattoos will tell you who is [most likely to commit more crime](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/can-you-tell-which-criminals-are-more-likely). Heck, your gut can be trusted to tell you [if a neighborhood is unsafe](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/should-you-trust-your-gut-when-deciding-wheth). Still not sure if a man is [dangerous](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/slate-magazine-can-you-tell-if-a-man-is-dange)? Ask a [short guy](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/are-short-guys-better-at-determining-whos-a-b). Is this useful in daily life? Yeah, because you’ll know [who is more trustworthy](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/can-you-tell-if-a-man-is-trustworthy-by-looki) or [cooperative](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/can-you-tell-if-someone-is-cooperative-just-b).


**_Eric Barker:_**[_6 Things The Most Productive People Do Every Day_](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/06/most-productive-people/)

* Want to know if someone is good at their job? [Watch them for six seconds and your guess is more likely to be right than wrong.](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/can-you-tell-if-someone-is-good-at-their-job) Sometimes a glance can tell you [how smart someone is](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/can-you-tell-how-smart-someone-is-just-by-loo). Or [whether they’re rich](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/can-you-tell-if-someone-is-rich-by-a-quick-gl).

* Ladies, want to know if he’s attracted to you? It’s all in [how long he looks at you](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/can-a-glance-tell-you-if-someone-finds-you-at). And guys might be able to look at you and tell [how much you orgasm](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/can-you-tell-how-much-a-woman-orgasms-by-look), whether you are [currently fertile](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/can-you-tell-if-a-woman-is-fertile-by-the-way) or whether [you’re a lesbian](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/can-you-tell-if-a-woman-is-a-lesbian-just-by).

**_Eric Barker:_**[_New Harvard Research Reveals A Fun Way To Be More Successful_](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/09/be-more-successful/)

Want to be able to read people like Sherlock Holmes? Go [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/12/how-to-read-people/).


**_This piece originally appeared on_** [**_Barking Up the Wrong Tree_**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/05/5-things-you-can-tell-about-someone-after-jus/)**_._**

**Join over 250,000 readers. Get a free weekly update via email** [**here**](http://eepurl.com/o6uAD)**.**


## Transcript

[ MUSIC ]

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