This incredible art project in Paris uses heartbeats to plant trees. Here's how.
The Eiffel Tower knows how to go green and looks great doing it.
Plenty of folks have seen the Eiffel Tower.
Photo via iStock.
And it's certainly a sight to see on any occasion.
But until Sunday night, no one had seen it quite like this...
All GIFs via Here Now/YouTube.
In dazzling fashion, images and graphics were projected onto the tower the day before COP21 began in Paris.
The installation lit up the sky with its forest theme on Nov. 29, 2015, a day ahead of COP21 (that's short for the Conferences of Parties), the United Nations' climate change summit, which runs through Dec. 4.
The project, titled "1 Heart 1 Tree" and created by artist Naziha Mestaoui, is aimed at drawing attention to the conference and encouraging leaders to (wake up and) set ambitious goals to reduce carbon emissions.
Photo courtesy of 1 Heart 1 Tree, used with permission.
The best part? You can be part of Mestaoui's creation.
By downloading an app and using its sensor to monitor your heartbeat, the pumping of your heart will create a growing "branch" on the tower's tree. (How freaking cool is that?!) You can view it in the app on your phone and share with friends on social media.
But that's not all. Through the project's partnered reforestation programs, app users also purchase an actual tree to be planted when they buy a virtual one for the tower. So far, the app has ensured about 50,000 trees will be planted because of "1 Heart 1 Tree."
"I created this installation so that people everywhere can realize what is possible if we come together," Mestaoui said in a speech on Sunday, according to a press release provided to Upworthy.
"We can protect and regrow our forests, we can tap the natural powers of the sun, the wind, the earth and the sea, and we can build a safer future if we go 100% clean energy for everyone."
COP21 is a truly historic event — one that could actually spark a major shift in the fight against climate change.
Leaders from more than 150 countries around the world have gathered in Paris to nail down the specifics as to how each can do its fair share to cut way back on carbon emissions.
It's the largest gathering of heads of state — ever.
The end goal is to reduce the world's collective carbon footprint to ensure global temperatures don't exceed 2 degrees Celsius of what they were before the industrial revolution of the late-1700s. Because, as climate science tells us, that would be absolutely awful.
The conference is just starting but, so far, news out of the summit seems promising.
For starters, take the summit's guest list — (practically) the whole world is seriously committed to fighting climate change. That includes major polluters, like the U.S., India, China, and Russia.
Also, news of Bill Gates' multibillion-dollar initiative to unite the world with clean energy investments is already making waves as a game-changing strategy to make our energy sources greener while also helping eradicate poverty in the developing world.
Basically, it's a huge win-win.
"1 Heart 1 Tree" serves as a powerful reminder that the beauty of art can have an immeasurable impact.
Lighting up The Eiffel Tower won't stop climate change on its own — but it can inspire the hearts and minds of those who are dedicated to trying their best.
Check out incredible footage of "1 Heart 1 Tree" below:
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."