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Forget Congress. It's the annual 'Fat Bear Week' election and everyone needs to vote right now.

Now, this is body positivity.

It's Fat Bear Week and we pick the winner.

Everyone knows that fat animals are infinitely more visually appealing, much to veterinarians' collective dismay. They may not be at their pinnacle of health, yet we love them anyway, especially when they're babies. Bears, however, are supposed to get chunky so they get a pass. Before the winter when they hibernate, they're all about feeding their faces and storing fat for the winter. Wildlife archivists Explore has put all these fat bears in one place so we can vote on who gets to be supreme Fat Bear. Fat Bear Week is an annual event that anyone with internet access can participate in.

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fat bear week

Science

Ultra-rare footage of an almost invisible baby eel is blowing people's minds

It’s pretty mesmerizing to watch.

Photo by David Clode on Unsplash

This thing is much cuter as a baby.

Super-rare footage of a baby moray eel (or a Leptocephalus larva, if you wanna get technical) has taken over the internet. Filmed by Barry Haythorne and Rob Rutgers of HRF U/W Productions, the video shows scuba divers coming face-to-face with the tiny creature, which is almost completely transparent.

The nearly invisible larva looks like a trail of smoke or a billowing silk ribbon as it glides through the water, with only its semiglowing face being truly discernible. Actually, let's be honest—it’s giving the ghost dog Zero from “The Nightmare Before Christmas," only much more hauntingly beautiful.

Zero Dog GIFfrom Zero GIFs

Either way, it’s pretty mesmerizing to watch.

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Science

Op-Ed: We can no longer pass the buck on climate action

Society must be unwavering in pursuit of social and environmental justice.

Photo by Callum Shaw on Unsplash

women holding signs during daytime

Voices from every part of the world have been calling for action on climate change and the rapid loss of nature for decades, but too many in power have ignored this growing chorus. Even today, with the impacts of climate change starkly evident, many leaders contend that now is *not* the time to take measures to halt or reverse climate change. And despite mounting evidence pointing to the market growth potential of green technology adoption, concerns over the cost of saving the planet at the expense of sparing the global economy from short-term pain have become the preferred stalling tactic.

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climate action

Science

New study shows ozone layer has made 'significant milestone' in its recovery

Environmental progress is possible.

Photo by NOAA on Unsplash

Change is possible.

The negative effects of climate change are all around us—countless devastating heatwaves, droughts so severe in some areas that long lost ancient relics have reappeared, and in other areas, extreme storms destroy entire communities.

With all the visible decline on our planet, improvements might not be so obvious. But they do exist. All we need to do is look up.

Euro News announced on Sept. 19 that the Earth’s ozone layer, nature’s shield against UV radiation from the sun, has made significant progress against prior damage.

This is not only some much-needed relief against an onslaught of bad news for the environment, it also shows us that a better future is possible with concentrated effort.

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uplifting

Science

Forget Congress. It's the annual 'Fat Bear Week' election and everyone needs to vote right now.

Now, this is body positivity.

Ultra-rare footage of an almost invisible baby eel is blowing people's minds

It’s pretty mesmerizing to watch.

Op-Ed: We can no longer pass the buck on climate action

Society must be unwavering in pursuit of social and environmental justice.

New study shows ozone layer has made 'significant milestone' in its recovery

Environmental progress is possible.

Breastfeeding mom's touching encounter with an orangutan has people swooning—and debating

People are sharing the simple life hacks that made their daily routine so much easier

3,700-year-old Babylonian stone tablet gets translated, changes history

People share small acts of kindness that can be used every day, and some are brilliantly simple

Van Gogh only sold one painting in his lifetime. This moving clip shows what his reaction to his popularity would look like today.

14 things that will remain fun no matter how old you get