Check out these breathtaking images from the 2022 Weather Photographer of the Year contest

Rainbows, storm clouds and frozen waterfalls, oh my.

Oct 14, 2022

Photo credit: rmets.org – Weather is beautiful.

Capturing the perfect image is difficult even under the best of conditions, but when trying to get a snapshot of once-in-a-lifetime moments in nature, the task becomes herculean. The reward, however, is witnessing beauty almost too dazzling to be real.

On Oct. 6, Christopher Ison was awarded the title of Weather Photographer of the Year for his breathtaking photo of storm waves crashing against a lighthouse. According to My Modern Met, judges received entries from more than 119 countries and created a shortlist of 22 stunning images. The annual contest, held by the Royal Meteorological Society, celebrates weather of all forms, from whimsical rainbows to chaotic lightning storms and phenomenon in between.

Below are the eight winners this year. Believe it or not, some pictures were even taken with a smartphone.

Main winner: “Storm Eunice” by Christopher Ison

Photo location: Newhaven, East Sussex, U.K.

Camera: Canon EOS R5

Ison’s bold, dramatic, almost monochromatic image comes as a result of Storm Eunice, an intense cyclone that wreaked havoc in the U.K. in February. Its 122 mph wind speeds set a new record in England.

Needless to say, getting the photo successfully (and safely) would not be easy. Ison chose to head to high ground and stand slightly further away from the harbor wall. With his back to the weather, he snapped the image.

“When the storm was predicted and that it was carrying the first ever red warning for the south coast, I knew I had to find a spot to record it – this was going to be big!” Ison shared.

2nd place: “Frozen” by Zhenhuan Zhou

Photo location: Ontario, Canada

Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV

Photographer Zhenhuan Zhou perfectly captured the mystical essence of a frozen Niagara Falls in winter. Extreme low temperatures cause sheets of ice to form over the water’s surface, giving the illusion that the Falls have completely stopped, when in reality water continues to flow underneath.

The cold imagery is balanced out by the warm glow of a single light emanating from a cozy cabin, which clearly belongs to some kind of winter fairy.

3rd place: “Ghost Under the Cliff” by Emili Vilamala Benito

Photo location: Tavertet, Barcelona, Spain

Camera: Sony SLT-A99V

The shadowy figure shrouded in a rainbow seen in Emili Benito’s photograph is called a Brocken Spectre—an optical illusion that occurs when the observer’s shadow is magnified as it’s cast onto a cloud or mist.

The Brocken Spectre is a type of glory. Glories are often seen by air travelers, who notice the shadow of their airplane cast on clouds below. The airplane’s shadow will be moving along on the cloud tops, surrounded by a rainbow-like halo of light as it flies through the air.

Public vote winner: “Departing Storm Over Bembridge Lifeboat Station” by Jamie Russell

Photo location: Bembridge, Isle of Wight, U.K.

Camera: Nikon d7500, Sigma 10-20 lens

double rainbows — "Departing Storm Over Bembridge Lifeboat Station" <a href="https://www.rmets.org/sites/default/files/2022-08/Jamie Russell – Departing Storm over Bembridge Lifeboat Station copy.jpg">www.rmets.org</a>

Photographer Jamie Russell has apparently been chasing storms all across the Isle of Wight, capturing gorgeous rainbows. But the one found after a show in Bembridge was the ultimate prize, causing him to rush into “waist-deep water, fully dressed” to compose this image.

This double rainbow comes as a result of sunlight being refracted twice within a raindrop. A key characteristic of the “second bow” is a fainter hue and reversed color sequence.

Mobile category winner: “Sunset” by Aung Chan Thar

Photo location: Kyaikto, Myanmar

Camera: Vivo X70 pro+

Myanmar sunset, sunset photography — "Sunset" <a href="https://www.rmets.org/sites/default/files/2022-08/Aung Chan Thar – Sunset copy.jpg">www.rmets.org</a>

This one’s a delight to weather enthusiasts and architecture buffs alike.

The richness of the sunset happens because of Rayleigh scattering, aka nature’s Instagram filter. When the sun is very low (as in sunrise and sunset), its light has to travel further through the atmosphere. Blue light, which is shorter in wavelength than red light, is therefore scattered away and deflected before our eyes can see it. The longer wavelengths of orange and red light are scattered less, and therefore more visible. Not to mention gorgeous.

Mobile category runner-up: “Scotch Mist” by Vince Campbell

Photo location: Tarbet, Loch Lomond, Scotland

Camera: Samsung SM-J530f 3.71mm

scotland photography — "Scotch Mist" <a href="https://www.rmets.org/sites/default/files/2022-08/Vince Campbell – Scotch Mist copy.jpg">www.rmets.org</a>

I knew that smartphones could take some pretty epic pictures, but I didn’t know they could be this epic.

Photographer Vince Campbell was up before the sun and walking with his dogs Oscar and Ollie to capture this beautiful misty scene.

This is a “misty” scene, rather than a “foggy” one, because of the visibility. Mist and fog are both caused by water droplets suspended in the air close to the ground. Mist is less dense and dissipates more quickly. The rule of thumb is—if you can see more than 1,000 meters (in the pictures, for example, you can see all the way across the lake), then it’s mist. If you can’t see past 1,000 meters, it’s fog.

Young Weather Photographer of the Year winner: “Mammatus Sunset” by Eris Pil

Photo location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.

Camera: Pixel 3 Phone

“The sky was completely lit up in a way I had never seen before, like these beautiful backlit watercolor clouds,” recalled Young Photographer of the Year Eris Pil.

What looks like a Van Gogh painting in the photo are mammatus clouds, which, despite their fluffy, pleasant seeming demeanor, are created under tumultuous conditions. Often, but not always, they are sweet-looking harbingers of severe thunderstorms and even tornados. But hey, they’re nice to look at.

Pil shared that this photo was her “first time ever witnessing” mammatus clouds, and that she hopes for the “opportunity to see them again.”

Young Weather Photographer of the Year runner-up: “Tyndall Effect” by Shreya Nair

Photo location: Trivandrum, India

Camera: Redmi Note 9 Pro

light beams photo — "Tyndal Effect" <a href="https://www.rmets.org/sites/default/files/2022-10/Shreya Nair – Tyndall Effect.jpg">www.rmets.org</a>

Photographer Shreya Nair was taking a walk through their backyard in India when they spotted light peaking through the tree canopy.

This heavenly effect is known as the Tyndall effect. Similar to a Rayleigh scattering, the Tyndall effect is a scattering of beams of light that attach to floating particles like smoke or dust. Again, because blue and red light have different wavelengths, they are affected differently during this weather phenomenon. The Tyndall effect is why the sky appears blue.

Wanna bask in beautiful weather year-round from the comfort of your own home? The Weather Photographer of the Year 2023 calendar is available on pre-order.

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In Partnership With Operation Smile →

An Operation Smile volunteer reverses an oxygen mask so a child with a cleft condition can blow a bubble for the first time in Guadalajara, Mexico. (Operation Smile Photos)

Family, Science

How Bubbles Help Kids with Cleft Conditions

For thousands of children born with cleft conditions, Operation Smile provides simple, playful tools—like bubbles—to strengthen the skills they need to speak and thrive.

Sarah Watts

5/11/2026

While a bottle of bubbles might seem out of place in a hospital setting, you might be surprised to learn that, for thousands of children around the world born with cleft lip and palate, they can be a helpful tool in comprehensive cleft care. Lilia, who was born with cleft lip and palate in 2020, is one of the many patients who received this care.

As a toddler, Lilia underwent two surgeries to treat cleft lip and palate with Operation Smile’s surgical program in Puebla, Mexico. Because of Operation Smile’s comprehensive care, it wasn’t long before her personality transformed: Lilia went from a quiet and withdrawn toddler to an exuberant, curious explorer, babbling, expressing herself with a variety of sounds, and engaging with others like any child her age.

Lilia is now a healthy five-year-old, with the same cheerful attitude and boundless energy. Her progress is the result of care at every level, from surgery to speech therapy to ongoing support at home—but it’s also evidence that small, sustained interventions throughout it all can make a meaningful difference.

Lilia at age 1, before surgery, and at age 5, 4 years post-surgery

Cleft Conditions: A Global Problem

Since 1982, Operation Smile has provided cleft lip and cleft palate surgeries to more than 500,000 patients worldwide with the help of generous volunteers and donors. Cleft conditions are congenital conditions, meaning they are present at birth. With cleft lip and palate, the lip or the roof of the mouth do not form fully during fetal development. Cleft conditions put children at risk for malnutrition and poor weight gain, since their facial structure can make feeding challenging. But cleft conditions can have an enormous social impact as well: Common difficulties with speech can leave kids socially isolated and unable to meet the same developmental milestones as their peers.

Surgery is a vital step in treating cleft conditions, but it’s also just one part of a much larger solution. Organizations like Operation Smile emphasize the importance of multi-disciplinary teams that provide comprehensive, long-term care to patients across many years. This approach, which includes oral care, speech therapy, nutritional support, and psychosocial care, not only aids in physical recovery from surgery but also helps children develop the skills and confidence to eat easily, speak clearly, and engage in everyday life. This ensures that each patient receives the full range of support they need to thrive.

Marie, 11 months, with her mother at Operation Smile Madagascar before her cleft surgery (Operation Smile Photos)

A Playful (and Powerful) Solution

Throughout a patient’s care, simple tools like bubbles can play a meaningful role from start to finish.

Immediately before surgery, children are often in a new and unfamiliar environment far from home, some of them experiencing a hospital setting for the first time. When care providers or loved ones blow bubbles, it’s a simple yet effective technique: Not only are the children soothed and distracted, the bubbles also help create a sense of joy and playfulness that eases their anxiety.

Milagros Rojas, a volunteer speech therapist in Peru, using bubbles in a screening with a patient. (Operation Smile Photos)

In speech therapy, bubbles can take on an even more important role. Blowing bubbles requires controlled airflow, as well as the ability to form a rounded “O” shape with the lips, which are skills that children with cleft conditions may struggle to develop. Practicing these skills with bubbles allows children to gently strengthen their facial muscles, improve breath control, and support the motor skills needed for speech development. Beyond that, blowing bubbles can help kids connect with their parents or providers in a way that’s playful, comforting, and accessible even for very young patients.

Finally, bubbles often follow patients with cleft conditions home in the “smile bags” that each patient receives when the surgical procedure is finished. Smile bags, which help continue speech therapy outside of the hospital setting, can contain language enrichment booklets, a mirror, oxygen tubing, and bubbles. While regular practice with motor skills can help with physical recovery, small acts of play help as well, giving kids space to simply enjoy themselves and join in on what peers are able to do.

Bubbles at Home and Beyond

Today, because of Operation Smile’s dedication to comprehensive cleft care, Lilia is now able to make friends and speak clearly, all things that could have been difficult or impossible before. Instead of a childhood defined by limitation, Lilia—and others around the world—can look forward to a childhood filled with joy, learning, discovery, friends, and new possibilities.

CTA: Lilia’s life was changed for the better with the care she received through Operation Smile. Find out how you can make an impact in other children’s lives by visiting operationsmile.org today.

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Photo credit: via Rubén Moreno Montolíu/Flickr – Our home, from space.

Natural Wonder, Nature

Astronaut shares the profound ‘big lie’ he realized after seeing the Earth from space

This change in perspective could change humanity.

Tod Perry

Upworthy Staff

5/18/2026

Sixty-five years ago, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to make it into space and the first to experience what scientists now call the “overview effect.” This change occurs when people see the world from far above and notice that it’s a place where “borders are invisible, where racial, religious and economic strife are nowhere to be seen.”

The overview effect makes man’s squabbles with one another seem incredibly petty and presents the planet as it truly is, one interconnected organism.

In a compelling interview with Big Think, former NASA astronaut, author, humanitarian and CEO of ispace-U.S. Ron Garan explains how, if more of us developed this planetary perspective, we could fix much of what ails humanity and the planet.

Garan has spent 178 days in space and traveled more than 71 million miles in 2,842 orbits. From high above, he realized that the planet is a lot more fragile than he thought.

What Garan saw from up there changed everything

“When I looked out the window of the International Space Station, I saw the paparazzi-like flashes of lightning storms, I saw dancing curtains of auroras that seemed so close it was as if we could reach out and touch them. And I saw the unbelievable thinness of our planet’s atmosphere. In that moment, I was hit with the sobering realization that that paper-thin layer keeps every living thing on our planet alive,” Garan said in the video.

“I saw an iridescent biosphere teeming with life,” he continues. “I didn’t see the economy. But since our human-made systems treat everything, including the very life-support systems of our planet, as the wholly owned subsidiary of the global economy, it’s obvious from the vantage point of space that we’re living a lie.”

It was at that moment he realized that humanity needs to reevaluate its priorities.

“We need to move from thinking ‘economy, society, planet’ to ‘planet, society, economy.’ That’s when we’re going to continue our evolutionary process,” he added.

The earth is in our hands. Canva Photos.

Garan says that we are paying a very “high price” as a civilization for our inability to develop a more planetary perspective and that it’s a big reason why we’re failing to solve many of our problems. Even though our economic activity may improve quality of life on one end, it’s also disastrous for the planet that sustains our lives.

It’s like cutting off our nose to spite our face.

He wasn’t the only one moved by the view

Actor William Shatner, who spent years playing the iconic Captain James T. Kirk on the original Star Trek series, had a similar experience to Garan’s when he went to space for real in October 2021:

“It was among the strongest feelings of grief I have ever encountered,” Shatner wrote. “The contrast between the vicious coldness of space and the warm nurturing of Earth below filled me with overwhelming sadness. Every day, we are confronted with the knowledge of further destruction of Earth at our hands: the extinction of animal species, of flora and fauna … things that took five billion years to evolve, and suddenly we will never see them again because of the interference of mankind.”

“We’re not going to have peace on Earth until we recognize the basic fact of the interrelated structure of all reality,” Garan said.

And yet Garan still has hope for us

However dire the situation looks from the surface of Earth, the astronaut has hope that we can collectively evolve in consciousness and wake up and embrace a larger reality. “And when we can evolve beyond a two-dimensional ‘us versus them’ mindset, and embrace the true multi-dimensional reality of the universe that we live in, that’s when we’re going to no longer be floating in darkness … and it’s a future that we would all want to be a part of. That’s our true calling.”

This article originally appeared four years ago. It has been updated.

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Photo credit: Photo by Michael G on Unsplash – Family stages intervention for their misbehaving dog

Nature, Pets

Family stages an intervention for pit bull that only misbehaves when Grandma is around

“I’m noticing that when your mom is at work, your behavior is getting worse.”

Jacalyn Wetzel

Upworthy Staff

5/18/2026

Dogs are toddlers in little furry bodies, or at least that’s how they behave sometimes. They constantly get into things they shouldn’t and act like they’re hyped up on a batch of Pixy Stix when they are excited about something. Their uncontrollable zoomies can have dogs crashing into walls, furniture, and people without a care in their tiny dog world.

Just like toddlers, pit bulls’ behavior can change depending on who supervises them. In one family, a pit bull named Bishop Ace keeps giving Grandma a run for her money any time she’s charged with babysitting him. Jayla doesn’t have any human grandchildren, and Bishop Ace is her only granddog, so you’d think he would be nicer to his grandma, especially since he knows how to behave.

Bishop has two very different personalities

Turns out that the pittie has exquisite manners with his mother, Shauna. He loves cuddling with her and listens the first time he’s asked to do something, but as soon as mom goes to work, Bishop runs amock.

But Shauna doesn’t believe her sweet little dog could ever do anything as wild as grandma reports, which is exactly why grandma started recording Bishop’s hijinks. This is what seems to have led to an intervention with the hyperactive pit bull.

“We want to have a conversation with you,” Jayla says. “Because I’m noticing when mom is at work, your behavior is getting worse. You don’t listen when grandma says ‘drop it,’ you run.”

The intervention did not go as planned

Bishop Ace refused to make eye contact for much of the intervention, and when Grandma was done speaking, Shauna gave the obviously guilty dog scratches and denied that it was him causing the problem. Even with the video evidence, Bishop Ace is still his mama’s baby and can do no wrong in her eyes, so all of Grandma’s intervention efforts never work. But if you want to see some adorably hilarious “bad dog” shenanigans, you can check out the video from The Dodo below.

The comments are absolutely sending people

The commenters loved how Bishop interacts with his family, even if he is mischievous.

“I love this! The look on his face during the intervention is priceless! He looks over at his mama like, ‘I don’t know what this woman is talking about!’ When mama was holding him like a baby he was looking up at grandma like, ‘Just wait until she leaves!’” Andi wrote.

“I love how he acted like that wasn’t him in the video when Mom was looking at the phone and showing him how he was acting. This was just too hilarious, and it was so sweet how grandma was holding him and singing Amazing Grace, and he was so peaceful and relaxed,” KWeaver added.

“Love this video, especially the mock intervention. Grandma is awesome. Bishop just knows which play buttons to push,” Jenny wrote in the comments.

A sweet pit bull. Photo credit: Canva

At the end of the day, Bishop Ace isn’t a bad dog, just a smart one. He knows exactly who he can push the limits with and who will hold the line, which, honestly, is more self-awareness than a lot of humans have. Grandma Jayla may never win the battle, but she’s clearly not giving up the fight. And as long as Bishop Ace keeps getting away with it, this family is going to keep the rest of us very entertained.

This article originally appeared three years ago. It has been updated.

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Photo credit: @mr.kitters.the.cat/TikTok – View of the world through the eyes of a cat.

Nature, Pets

Cat owner put a first-person camera on its collar and accidentally filled the world with delight

Mr. Kitters’ point of view is incredibly entertaining.

Annie Reneau

Upworthy Staff

5/17/2026

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a cat? To watch the world from less than a foot off the ground, seeing and hearing things humans completely miss, staring out the window for hours while contemplating one of your nine lives?

Well, thanks to one person, we need wonder no more, at least about the what-they’re-seeing part.

The TikTok channel Mr. Kitters the Cat (@mr.kitters.the.cat) gives us a cat’s-eye view of the world with a camera attached to Mr. Kitters’ collar. The result is an utterly delightful POV experience that takes us through the daily adventuring of the frisky feline as he wanders the yard.

The most popular video is something else

In a video titled “Spicy cats,” which has accumulated tens of millions of views on TikTok, we begin with the cutest cat sneeze ever. Then we hear Mr. Kitters’ meow as we walk with him through the grass before the scene switches to a thrilling, yowling cat chase he witnesses across the yard (while tucking himself even more securely under the bush he’s in).

The best is seeing his kitty paws as he walks and then digs in the mulch. And there’s apparently something very exciting that needs to be pounced on right along a chain link fence.

The comments are as good as the video

The commenters made their delight known.

“I love how he saw the cat fight and was like that’s not my business today,” wrote one person.

“WHEN HE DIGS WITH HIS LIL PAWS,” declared another.

“People: Cats only meow at humans.” Mr Kitters -Meows at everything-” wrote another.

And of course, countless people responded simply to the sneeze with “Bless you.”

Mr. Kitters has other POV videos as well. This one demonstrates how chatty he is and shows his black cat buddy as well.

It really sounds like he says, “Let me in,” doesn’t it?

And this “extreme sports” video is riveting.

For those who can’t get enough, here is WAY more Mr. Kitters:

Why does this captivate so many of us?

It’s funny how something as simple as putting a camera around the neck of a cat can draw in tens of millions of people. We’re all so curious about the lives of the creatures we see every day, and the adorable quirkiness of cat behavior is a big part of why we keep them as companions in the first place. Seeing the world through their point of view is just one more way we can enjoy and learn about our pet friends.

This article originally appeared three years ago. It has been updated.

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Photo credit: Canva Photos
A firefighter using a hose, left, and bees, right.

Animals, Nature

Firefighters broke out their hoses to save 25 million bees from an overheating truck

480 hives were minutes away from dying in the hot sun.

Evan Porter

5/16/2026

Bees can fly, but that doesn’t mean they don’t sometimes need a ride. In fact, massive colonies of bees and their beehives are often shipped around the country by truck to help pollinate crops. They’re a crucial cog in our food supply chain, and these commutes are critically important.

The rides, however, don’t come without their risks.

Truck carrying 480 beehives breaks down and begins to overheat

One such shipment was on its way through Utah, navigating a mountain pass near Salt Lake City, when the truck carrying hundreds of hives broke down.

The weather was hot, and without a running engine or airflow from the movement of the vehicle, the inside of the trailer was rapidly heating up.

Twenty-five million bees—tens of thousands per hive—were inside and were minutes away from dying.

A mechanic arrived to work on the truck, but there was no telling how long it would take to get things moving again. Luckily, the Millcreek Fire Department and the Unified Fire Authority also happened to arrive. While they weren’t going to be much help getting the engine going again, they had a brilliant idea to help keep the bees safe in the meantime.

Firefighters drench the trailer with hoses to keep the bees inside cool

Quick-thinking fire authorities used their equipment to mist and spray the truck, keeping it cool in the hot sun.

One neat cooperative detail: no firefighters were stung during the operation. In the photos and footage provided by Unified Fire Authority, bees are clearly seen flying around outside the trailer. That’s because the breathable mesh keeps the hives and most of the colony inside, but the bees need airflow while the truck is moving, so many of them slip in and out during the journey.

In the end, the truck got moving again, and not a single bee—nor firefighter—was harmed.

Heartwarming story was almost a devastating loss

Pesticides and habitat loss have wreaked havoc on wild bee populations. Fair Planet notes that about 80% of flowering plants, including many fruits and vegetables, depend on pollinators like bees to reproduce. So while bees can sometimes be viewed as a nuisance or pest by humans, their presence is critical to the natural world around us—and our food supply.

Managed honeybee populations are doing better than wild ones, but the death of 25 million bees would still have been a significant loss. Not only would it represent a six-figure cost and be tragic in its own right, it would put the crops they were on their way to pollinate at risk.

Kudos to the quick thinking of the Unified Fire Authority and the Millcreek Fire Department, and to their willingness to help, even in unusual ways.

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Lagotto romagnolo puppy.

Nature, Pets

Adopted puppy takes first walk with new family and digs up treasure worth nearly $8,000

He’s a regular gold retriever.

Heather Wake

Upworthy Staff

5/16/2026

Many a canine lover would agree that all dogs add value to our lives. But let’s face it, Ollie takes it to a whole new level. In 2022, Adam Clark and Kim McGuire of Blackpool, England, originally bought little Ollie as a surprise for their daughter Alicia. However, it would turn out they were in store for a lovely surprise as well.

Meet Ollie, the world’s luckiest puppy

Ollie is much more than an adorable face. His breed, the Lagotto Romagnolo, once used its keen sense of smell to hunt waterfowl in the wet marshlands of Italy, according to Dog Time. Here’s an example of what a Lagotto Romagnolo looks like:

Pretty much a teddy bear on four legs.

These pups are also natural diggers, and nowadays the only dogs bred specifically to hunt for truffles. These talents came into play rather quickly when after only 10 minutes into his first family walk in the park, Ollie began to frantically dig into the soil.

Much to everyone’s surprise, Ollie dug up what appeared to be 15 sovereign coins, meaning pieces of gold thought to date back to the 19th century. The gold sovereign was first minted under King Henry VII in 1489 and has been produced across multiple eras since.

A gold sovereign. Photo credit: www.publicdomainpictures.net

So how much were the coins actually worth?

Clark took the coins to be examined by a reputable gold dealer, who not only deemed the coins legitimate, but valued them to be £5,943.96, equivalent to $7,564. It’s not clear how much the family paid for Ollie, but it seems safe to say that they got their money back …and then some.

Though Ollie’s find is remarkable, Clark still finds his presence to be the ultimate gift. “The treasure is one thing, but the fact is, I’ve bought myself my very own gold hunter, and I cannot wait to take him out again,” he told The U.S. Sun. “He is obviously a very special pup, and I’m thrilled with what he brings to the table, quite literally!”

And apparently they make great pets too

While Lagotto Romagnolos work really well for finding truffles (and potentially 500+ year old gold coins), they also make for great companions. Dog Time adds that they are easily trainable, good with children, and their hypoallergenic coats keep allergies at bay, though they do require dedicated grooming. It’s a pretty even trade-off for their undying affection and easy-going attitudes. Especially if they happen upon a small fortune!

There’s no real telling what other trinkets Ollie might dig up. But one thing’s for sure, he’s making his family very happy, and that is priceless.

This article originally appeared four years ago. It has been updated.

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Photo credit: Domonic Mason/Wikimedia Commons – A woman reading a book, left, and a bookworm on a book, right.

Animals, Nature

Shocked woman learns bookworms are real insects. Now everyone is horrified.

“I’m equal parts grateful and HORRIFIED”

Jacalyn Wetzel

5/15/2026

“Bookworm” is a phrase often used to describe someone who enjoys reading books. While the term is endearing, people may not realize that a bookworm is also an actual insect. No, not the cute cartoon inchworm wearing glasses and a bow tie. A literal bug that is anything but cute—and one woman is horrified by the discovery.

Taryn Delanie Smith took to social media to share that she recently discovered that “bookworm” was more than a term of endearment. The shocked woman explained that after showing off her antique book collection online, comments poured in. People were telling her to be careful and look out for bookworms.

Bookworm and bookworm damage. Photo credit: Dominic Mason/Wikimedia Commons

This warning prompted Smith to look into what people were saying, since she was unaware that an insect by that name existed. What she discovered in her research scarred both her and unsuspecting viewers alike.

“I love collecting old, dusty, smelly books, and I just think it’s really cool. It’s like a random, stupid, niche thing about me,” Smith says in an Instagram Reel while resting her hand on a stack of old books. That’s when she reveals that someone told her to check her thrifted books for bookworms, before adding, “because I thought that was just a term of endearment for people that liked books.”

Old books. Photo credit: Canva

Smith grows animated, loudly saying, “You mean to tell me there’s an actual insect called a bookworm?” She covers her mouth with her hand as she looks on in horror at pictures of the small, yellowish, clear bugs eating holes through a book’s pages. The now-grossed-out woman looks at her dusty books with disgust as she wonders aloud whether they’re harboring the small insects.

She demands to know if she was the only person unaware that bookworms are actual insects. She was not. Bookworms are not common knowledge, according to commenters:

“Literally have a degree in literature and this is news to me”

“You know what sometimes I think we have enough information”

“nah because what do you mean i now have to go through the hundreds of books i own?”

“OMG TARYN NO 😭 I could have gone my whole life without knowing this but now that I know, I’m equal parts grateful and HORRIFIED 😭😭😭”

“Say what now?!?! How big/ small are these buggers?? Is a magnified glass needed or can the naked eye spot them?!?! Ay dios mío 📚 🔍👀 💭 🐛 😬”

“Omg omg omg i must burn all of my books with fire I fear 😭”

Old book with bookworm damage. Photo credit: Ragesoss/Wikimedia Commons

Bookworms don’t actually refer to just one insect, though. According to The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the term “bookworm” is used to describe hundreds of different insects that feed on books:

“[The insects include] booklouse, silverfish, powderpost beetle, spider beetle, common furniture beetle, Mexican book beetle, paper worm (larvae of the paper beetle or moth), and larder beetle. These insects are not necessarily interested in eating paper, but they can damage paper in their attempts to reach other materials. They actively feed on leather and cloth bindings, starch paste, animal glues, paper, and cardboard, creating tunnels and holes through these materials.”

A woman reading an old book. Photo credit: Canva

One librarian who viewed Smith’s Reel offered advice for buying old books:

“Librarian here. We have a whole machine we ‘cook’ the books for days if any sign of a bug is found. I would not trust freezing them. Actually I would call your local Library and ask for advice! Hopefully you are all good though. The first step is to flip through and if you see any bugs or little bits of flecks all over that kind of look like dirt, put that book outside in the garage.”

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Photo credit: Canva – A cat listening to music on headphones, left, and a dog with a remote and popcorn.

Nature, Pets

Leave TV or music on for your pet when you’re not home? Science says these genres are best.

Do our pets actually appreciate this gesture in the way we hope?

Heather Wake

5/11/2026

It’s a common kindness among pet owners to leave their fur babies some kind of background noise whenever they’re gone for extended periods of time. It’s such a popular practice that YouTube and Spotify have dedicated playlists for soothing and stimulating pets while we’re away doing human things. And hey, if it eases our guilt in the process, that’s a win-win.

But do our pets actually appreciate this gesture in the way we hope? The only accurate answer is, of course, that it depends—not only on which species we’re dealing with, such as cats vs. dogs, but also on the genre of music.

Dogs might really dig soft tunes

One United Kingdom-based behavioral study found that, for dogs at least, classical music produced a calming effect. Of the two other genres tested, heavy metal had, perhaps unsurprisingly, an agitating effect, while pop had no observable effect. Sorry, Britney Spears.

Interestingly, a CD playing a human conversation also seemed to have no effect. Of course.

However, another study that used heart monitors to measure the effect different styles of music had on dogs’ heart rates suggested that, like humans, dogs have individual music preferences. In this study, reggae and soft rock “showed the highest positive changes.” One thing to consider, though, is that different breeds of dogs have different resting heart rates, which might influence how they respond to certain styles of music.

Naturally, cats prefer music made just for cats

Moving on to cats. While there are far fewer feline-centric studies, the data at first glance might suggest that they aren’t quite as musically inclined as their canine counterparts.

Of course, this could be because cats are more attuned to certain frequencies, making what they “hear” very different from what is experienced by dog or human ears. Researchers who relied heavily on music that fell within a cat’s preferred frequency range found that cats reacted significantly more positively to it than to classical music. Some even rubbed up against the speaker—the ultimate sign of cat approval.

Fun fact: that special cat music, composed by David Teie, was turned into an album that can be purchased here.

What about TV?

As for television shows, the general consensus is that rather than providing entertainment, they serve as a source of comforting familiarity for pets. However, there aren’t enough studies to confirm this either way. And considering what we’ve already mentioned about responses to certain frequencies, it stands to reason that most human shows don’t necessarily register in the same way. Of course, we’ve all seen how dogs react to episodes of Bluey, so…

And if these things mask unpleasant outside noises—like fireworks, horns, planes, etc.—that might otherwise cause anxiety, then perhaps that’s all the benefit pet owners need.

At the end of the day, leaving on music or TV might be less about creating the perfect enrichment experience and more about offering a little comfort—to both our pets and ourselves—while we’re away. Some animals may completely ignore it. Others may perk up at a familiar voice or settle down when soft music starts playing. A lot of figuring that out comes from attentively and lovingly observing how your fur babies respond as individuals. Luckily, that’s a task most pet owners will gladly take on.

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Photo credit: Canva – Some cats insist on the weirdest things.

Nature, Pets

Cat owners share the super-specific, wildly weird things their cats insist on as part of their routine

Some people’s pet sitter notes are next-level.

Annie Reneau

5/11/2026

Cats are known for being unique little weirdos. They also really like predictability and routine. That combo of being routine-oriented while also individually quirky makes for some highly entertaining daily habits.

Those daily habits can be extremely specific, as evidenced by one cat owner’s “Q-tip jail” TikTok video. “Note for pet sitter,” the overlay text from @nothoughtsjustsushi reads, “bedtime routine includes putting him in jail, and the prisoner gets one Q-tip nightly.”

The “putting him in jail” part means pinning the cat between two open doors. The human then slips a Q-tip through the crack between the doors as the kitty “prisoner” eagerly grabs it. Seriously quirky:

As weird as this is, it’s not much weirder than the many other examples cat owners and pet sitters shared in the comments:

“As a pet sitter I once had a client tell me I needed to pretend to water her cat or else she’ll yowl and scream at me😭 the cat even had her own plant pot she’d be in when I started to do my rounds of watering.”

“Explaining to the pet sitter my cat needs her alone tub time but DO NOT turn on the water. She just likes to sit in there, unbothered.”

“My cat will scream at me when I go in my room until I lay on the bathroom floor and let her loaf ✨next to me✨. That’s it, that’s her favorite thing.”

“Mine likes to sing in the bathtub for the resonance. And it has to be a bath tub! She doesn’t do it if it’s just a shower stall. It’s something we look for in an apartment now, very important.”

“Mine has to sing the song of her people before we lay down at night. It basically consists of her walking a lap around the house howling to oblivion. Only then will she hop in bed and go to sleep.”

“My cat will only sit on the couch with me if I put a blanket over her. She does not want to be seen, but she wants to hang out.”

“When I had my cat, every morning before work I would put on eyeliner. One morning I pretend put eyeliner on her and told her “all done so pretty” and it BECAME routine. She would promptly sit by the mirror and Scream if I forgot to do it, or until it was done.”

“My cat loves raw asparagus. He will stand in front of the fridge and yell at me until I figured out what he wanted. He plays with it like prey, then he eats it.”

“My sister’s cat gets on top of the fridge and screams until he gets a teaspoon of shredded cheese to eat while he looks down on everyone.”

“My cat demands I cradle her like an infant while I am on the toilet. She will scream and jump on the sink and knock things over until I get her.”

“My cat has to have bathtub time.. every night when my mom goes to shower, she runs into the bathroom, and you have to flip hairbands in the bathtub so she can play with them while mom showers (the shower and bath are separate).”

“High-five me, Mom!” Photo credit: Canva

“Orange cat here! He patiently puts his hand on mine and looks at me until I pick both his hands up ‘to hold hands.’ He never misses a day. He only does this with me. If im going to be busy all day I go ahead and say let’s hold hands. He absolutely trained me to do this. I have to idea how it started.”

People ask how cat owners figure these things out, and most cat owners don’t have a clear answer. With cats, you just do random things to see what happens, and suddenly something sticks. You can’t predict what it will be, so you do have to be careful. That fun little entertainment and enrichment experiment might just turn into a routine you can’t escape.

Not that most would change a thing. These oddities are what make life with cats so delightful.

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