And it turns out in 2016, the federal government decided it a worthy cause to fund a study to see if taking selfies increases happiness. It involved creating two smartphone apps for participants to take photos and record their moods...documenting responses and mapping conclusions: the total cost was about $500,000. “We spent close to a half a million dollars on this study and I think they ought to give it back,” said Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) in an interview last week, calling it an excessive and unnecessary use of our tax dollars... But supporters say it's also a minuscule amount...