10 things that made us smile this week
Dive into a pool of joy with these delightful finds from around the internet.

Upworthy's weekly roundup of joy
It's 10 things day! Officially the best day, this week and every week.
While these roundups of joy may initially come across as light and fluffy, they serve an important purpose. We all need a respite from the troubling headlines and negative news that bombards us each day. The "information age" can be tough to navigate, as it's so easy to get bogged down in all the things we wish we could change, but that don't have easy or quick fixes. Maintaining hope is vital to fighting the good fight, and finding positivity to keep our energy up is neither a small nor insignificant thing.
Stories of human triumph, compassionate connection, impressive ingenuity—and yes, even entertaining animal antics—can serve as fuel to keep us going through difficult or dark times. We hope these offerings will lift your spirits and remind you that there's good to be found all around us.
Hope this week's list brings a smile or 10 to your face!
1. Cat interrupts girl's opera singing to perform a 'meowpurra' of his own
from MadeMeSmile
I don't care what anyone says, that cat is singing.
2. Pediatrician and father of seven explains why 8-year-old girls are the very best humans
@dr_mikem I think all kids are great ( obviously) but there is no doubt that 8 yr old girls embody all of the best human qualities. #kidsrock #pediatrics #pediatrician #pediatriciansoftiktok
It's true. If we all acted with the magnanimity, empathy and compassion of 8-year-old girls, the world would surely be a better place. (And yes, he also explained what makes 8-year-old boys awesome, too. Read the full story here.)
3. 106-year-old tattoo artist becomes the oldest Vogue cover model and her story is something
Swipe through the slides to learn about the extraordinary Apo Whang-Od.
4. Witness the magical land art of Andy Goldsworthy, made just with nature itself
\u201cAndy Goldsworthy is an artist that produces site-specific sculptures and land art using natural materials, ephemeral and transient because it returns back to nature . Here are some sycamore leaves around tree roots and Sumach leaves art \n\n\ud83d\udcf8Andy Goldsworthy\u201d— Science girl (@Science girl) 1680807660
Incredible what some perfectly placed leaves can do for the imagination. See more of Andy Goldsworthy's work here.
5. Trevor Noah and Roger Federer made what might be the greatest tourism ad ever.
Not only is it enjoyable to watch, it's also incredibly effective. Who doesn't want to take a train ride through Switzerland after that? See more from behind the scenes of this fabulous collaboration here.
6. Mom creates epic Tokyo Alley Market sleepover space for her daughter
Cardboard Queen, indeed. Wow.
7. Let's take a moment to appreciate the amount of disciplined training it takes to do something like this
\u201cThis took 17 years of training to accomplish \ud83c\udff9 \n\nI started gymnastics when I was 6 \u263a\ufe0f\n\u201d— Shannen \ud83c\udf49 (@Shannen \ud83c\udf49) 1680576682
The things humans can do when they put their minds to it. Dang.
8. Watch this student's family react as he finds out if any Ivy League schools have accepted him
Young Zimbabwean guy getting his university letters
by u/Studog in MadeMeSmile
The culmination of years of hard work—and clearly some joyous support from his family.
9. Michael Che played a hilarious prank on Colin Jost during SNL's 'Weekend Update' and they can't keep it together
The worst thing for a comedian is to have your jokes bomb, so Che asking the audience to limit their laughter during Jost's segments totally got him. (Thankfully, it's all in good fun with these two, who are always playing jokes on one another. Read the full story here.)
10. May we all find something we love as much as this guy loves trains.
@francis.bourgeois 56098 and 50007 at Shawford Station and then Leamington Spa Station! @GB Railfreight #trains
Francis Bourgeois has gained a huge social media following for his child-like passion for trains. He's downright giddy, every time. A delightful reminder to find something you love and go all in on the joy it brings you.
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There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."
This article originally appeared in May.