Dive into these 19 gorgeous, award winning photos showcasing life under the sea
Underwater life is weird and wonderful.

A healthy shark population swims at sunset in Moorea, French Polynesia.
Heads up, Ariel: There's something positively mind-blowing going on under the sea.
These absolutely gorgeous photographs once made a big splash in the international Underwater Photographer of the Year competition for 2018. The annual contest showcases more than 100 of the world's best photos captured in oceans, lakes, rivers, and even swimming pools. With winners in 11 categories, including portraits, wide-angle, and wrecks, the competition brings out seasoned professionals and rising stars in this beautiful — albeit somewhat soggy — hobby.
Underwater photography greats Peter Rowlands, Martin Edge, and Alex Mustard judged more than 5,000 entries to crown the winners. Here are 19 of the best, including Tobias Friedrich's "Cycle War," the image named photograph of the year.
1. Just when you thought you'd seen every fish in the sea...
Two fighting anthias in Tulamben, Bali.
©Anders Nyberg/UPY 2018
2. ... something swims by and surprises you.
A juvenile grouper hides inside a pink sponge in the Jardines de la Reina reefs on the south coast of Cuba.
©Nicholas More/UPY 2018
3. Like, really surprises you.
Get a room you two!
Actually, these tompot blennies aren't kissing; they're in a fierce battle in Swanage Pier, U.K.
©Henley Spires/UPY 2018.
4. It's bold and colorful down there.
A male corkwing wrasse appears in Bovisand Harbor, Plymouth, U.K.
©Kirsty Andrews/UPY 2018
5. Busy and beautiful too. (Even when it's a bit intimidating.)
The underbelly of a docile sand tiger shark and a large school of "bait fish" in North Carolina.
©Tanya Houppermans/UPY 2018
6. And on its best days, underwater life is a weird and wonderful combination of all of the above.
Haven't we all been stuck inside a jellyfish at one point in our lives? Hang in there, buddy.
A juvenile trevally is wedged between the tentacles and bell of a jellyfish in Janao Bay, Philippines.
©Scott Gutsy Tuason/UPY 2018
7. The photographers were able to capture some totally delightful surprises...
A crab feeds in the Vuoksi River, Finland.
©Mika Saareila/UPY 2018
8. ...like this haunting dance of fierce predators...
Bull sharks swim in the deep blue sea of Ponta Del Ouro, Mozambique.
©Sylvie Ayer/UPY 2018.
9. ...and these graceful, lithe swans that look a little more like lovebirds.
Swans feed in the waters of Loch Lomand, Scotland.
©Grant Thomas/UPY 2018
10. It doesn't get much more impressive than this commanding humpback whale saying hello.
A humpback whale assumes the "spy hopping" posture in Vavau, Tonga.
©Greg Lecoeur/UPY 2018
11. But then you see this micro seahorse captured with a macro lens and remember that size isn't everything.
A Japanese pygmy seahorse blends in to its surroundings in Kashiwajima, Japan.
©TianHong Wang/UPY 2018.
12. There's this sweet sea lion, who could teach a masterclass on the perfect selfie.
A sea lion poses for the camera in Julien Bay, Australia.
©Greg Lecoeur/UPY 2018
13. And so could this Asiatic cormorant, who made sure to show off its good side.
The elegant bird dives for fish in Osezaki, Japan.
©Filippo Borghi/UPY 2018
14. And we can't leave out this "otter-ly" adorable little swimmer.
An Asian small-clawed otter swims during a training session before it's released back into the wild.
©Robert Marc Lehmann/UPY 2018
15. Though sea creatures aren't the only ones making a life down below.
The ex-USS Kittiwake sat upright in the waters of Grand Cayman for more than 250 years before surge from a hurricane knocked it over.
©Susannah H. Snowden-Smith/UPY 2018
16. Humans can't help but experience the thrills....
Musician and surfer Donavon Frankenreiter enjoys the waves in Tavarua, Fiji.
©Rodney Bursiel/UPY 2018
17. ...and chills of life in the big blue sea.
This haunting image is "Cycle War," by Tobias Friedrich, winner of the Underwater Photograph of the Year.
"Cycle War" is a haunting image and winner of the Underwater Photograph of the year, 2018.
©Tobias Friedrich/UPY 2018
The photograph captures motorcycles on a truck on the frequently photographed wreckage of the SS Thistlegorm off the coast of Egypt in the Red Sea. Of this winning entry, contest judge Peter Rowlands said, "It is of a subject which has been photographed literally thousands of times. The artistic skill is to visualize such an image and the photographic talent is to achieve it. Perfectly lit and composed, I predict that there will never be a better shot of this subject from now on."
18. But it turns out humans have left a lot of vehicles down there.
This car went through the ice of Finland's Saimaa lake, but no one was hurt.
Always remember where you parked!
©Pekka Tuuri/UPY 2018
19. But you can't really blame those people for getting a little too close to the breathtaking beauty of life underwater.
And more importantly, who would want to?
2018 winning images - Underwater Photographer of the Year
A healthy shark population swims at sunset in Moorea, French Polynesia.
©Renee Capozzola/UPY 2018.
This article originally appeared on 03.07.18
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."