17 photos of people who know just how high the stakes of climate change are.
While world leaders were traveling to Paris to attempt to finally agree on what to do about climate change, people all over the world got together to hold their feet to the fire.
The ostensible goal of the COP21 conference in France is to produce a legally binding agreement that will help reduce emissions and slow down global warming. But climate change is already here, and the usual conference scenario — lots of important people talking a lot while getting little done — ain't gonna cut it anymore.
That's why this weekend, hundreds of thousands of people around the world gathered to send a message to their leaders:
Less talking, more doing.
1. Bogota, Colombia
A protestor holds up a heart-shaped sign that asks world leaders, "Are you ready for extinction?"
Photo by Guillermo Legaria/Getty Images.
Hopefully, she's exaggerating for rhetorical effect.
Hopefully.
2. New York
Everyone's favorite Science Guy, the one and only Bill Nye joined the crowd.
Bill! Bill! Bill! Bill! Bill! Bill Nye the Science Guy. Photo by Kena Betancur/Getty Images.
"The climate is changing. It's our fault, and we have to get to work on this now," Nye reportedly said at the rally, according to the New York Daily News. When even the best-case scenarios include scary outcomes like more flooding, bigger and badder droughts, and massive crop die-offs, it's hard to disagree with the (science) guy.
3. Sao Paulo
Photo by Nelson Almeida/Getty Images.
Hulk would very much like to smash climate change.
If only, Hulk. If only.
4. Oslo, Norway
Though Norwegian glaciers bravely held on until the late-1990s, they're now retreating just like in most of the rest of the world.
Photo by AFP/Getty Images.
Unless a comprehensive, binding climate agreement with teeth gets signed in Paris this year, the glaciers of Norway will likely be forever remembered as having peaked right around the time Smash Mouth did.
5. Santiago, Chile
Her sign reads: "People in charge: This is my Earth, and it's also yours and your children's. Don't destroy it."
Photo by Martin Bernetti/Getty Images.
Good — if dire — advice, Chile.
6. London
At the London rally, Welsh singer Charlotte Church performed a new song she wrote about confronting Earth's impending climate crisis.
Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images.
The song is still untitled as of publication, but might I suggest, "Wake Up and Do Something, You Dolts?"
Has a nice ring to it, is all I'm saying.
7. Amsterdam
A Dutch man with a killer beard carries a sign that reads, "This road is a dead end" — and not only because it appears he's about to smash into a giant scale replica of the Eiffel Tower.
Photo by Bart Maat/Getty Images.
He's referring to this road. The one the Earth appears to be on. Turn around much, Team Paris?
8. Frankfurt, Germany
Frank Rumpenhorst/Getty Images.
Should the worst-case climate scenario come to pass (a temperature increase in excess of two degrees Celsius, a world-altering mega-sea level rise of 20 feet or more, and millions of displaced people around the globe) figuring out how to fit bugs with World War I-era gas masks will be the least of our problems.
9. Mexico City
Photo by Yuri Cortez/Getty Images.
This mask: precisely 150% less scary than the effects of a sea level rise that conforms to even the most conservative estimates.
10. Nantes, France
A few days before the climate talks were set to begin, folks all across France got together to protest a ban on large gatherings that was imposed after the Paris attacks.
Photo by Jean-Sebastien Evrard/Getty Images.
Though some of the marches devolved into clashes with police, this one manifested as a nice, chill circle.
11. Johannesburg
In South Africa, thousands marched to draw attention to the connection between climate change and worsening poverty.
Photo by Mujahid Safodien/Getty Images.
According to a World Bank report, rising global temperatures could help lead 100 million more people down the path to extreme poverty, unable to afford even the most basic spooky skeleton mask.
12. Dhaka, Bangladesh
Photo by Munir Uz Zaman/Getty Images.
World leaders planning to bulls*** their way through the climate meetings should think twice before messing with these women or their brighly-colored flowers.
13. Montevideo, Uruguay
As a result of climate change, Uruguay has been contending with increased rainfall and more intense storms.
Photo by Miguel Rojo/Getty Images.
Thankfully, these protestors chose one of the decreasing number of bright, near-perfect sunny days to send a message over to France.
14. Ottawa, Ontario
Photo by Patrick Doyle/Getty Images.
A protester on Canada's Parliament Hill, modeling what many in coastal cities around the world will be forced to wear just to say afloat if too many glaciers melt.
15. Vienna
Photo by Joe Klamar/Getty Images.
According to a 2014 study published in Nature Climate Change, climate change could reduce the Antarctic penguin population by up to one-fifth, rendering it no longer possible to make it through "March of the Penguins," without bursting into tears for the wrong reasons instead of the right reasons.
16. Madrid
Photo by Gerard Julien/Getty Images.
Estimates released by the UN in 2011 clearly demonstrate that, if we really wanted to, we could be using renewable energy to meet 80% of the world's power needs within the next 40 years — and that still wouldn't be enough for these Spanish marchers demanding 100% renewable energy with their delightful yellow sun placards.
17. Geneva
"Hey world leaders, what's good?" — this polar bear. Photo by Fabrice Coffrini/Getty Images.
If arctic sea ice continues to melt at current rates — up to 9% per decade — polar bears may be forced to move to major cities around the globe and march defiantly in parades. Which is why the world needs to act — now.
'Cause let's be honest, leaving aside all the grave consequences drastic climate change might wreak, that would be super weird.
Beaver in water. Photo by 
An actual beaver dam on the now-thriving Price River
Not just coworkers—family, friends, strangers, kids…
Imagine having to go so badly but being out of euros. 
Anything hobbit-esque can't be wrong. 
But what if you need pain meds AND mascara?!
Imagine how this would affect childcare.
Honestly…where's the lie?
A brown buddha statue sits near a green mountain. Photo by 
Urgent dash to the bathroom! 🚪🏃♂️
Ladybug unexpectedly found during colonoscopyPhoto credit: 
Close-up of bottom of ladybug found in colonPhoto credit: 
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."