Fancy a load of reasons to be cheerful? A cascade of delightful news that’ll help you look on the bright side of life, uplift your WhatsApp groups and remind you of the joys and wonders this planet has to offer? Look no further, because Serotonin Splash is here to round up the best in feel-good culture from around the world.

Fri-yay today, fireworks tomorrow. Cosy jackets, the smell of mulled wine and smoke. Autumnal as heck, wintery almost. It’s beginning to look a lot like, no we won’t go there just yet. We’ll live in the moment. Yes. The moment isn’t so bad, after all. Here’s this week’s round up of the latest feel good news, from Irish language wins to Heidi Klum as a worm. Fantastique.

Bishop of Oxford supports same sex marriage. A forward step as opposed to diagonal ones we associate with bishops; The Rt Rev Dr Steven Croft has said that the Church of England should allow same sex marriage, and even apologised for the church’s history on LGBTQ+ rights.

Taiwan’s biggest Pride march ever takes place, it’s the 20th Pride event in the country. Organisers estimated that about 120,000 people attended, with many of those coming from overseas for the march.

Taylor Swift is the first artist to occupy top 10 of Billboard 100. As in, every single spot in the top ten is a Taylor Swift song. They’re all from her latest album, Midnights. The closest to this feat previously was Drake, with nine out of ten songs in that elusive ‘top 10’ list.

Heidi Klum spent TWO YEARS preparing to be a worm. It was worth every second. Always the queen of Halloween, Klum wanted her first post-pandemic Halloween bash “to shed the heaviness of the world and be playful,” she said. Just look at it, incredible. A worm.

Good climate news

Study finds indigenous communities protect forests the best. The results come from a 12 year study and conclude that far less deforestation happens, and carbon footprint is reduced when we leave forests in the hands of their indigenous peoples.

National Trust announces largest ever grassland project in the UK. It’s going to be about two thirds the size of Hyde Park and will be sewn with 1.3 tonnes of seeds. The project aims to revive native wildflowers and to help biodiversity.

Cannabis could make Scotland carbon-neutral. Did you know the hemp used to grow in abundance in Scotland? Well now you do. And a study has suggested that if Scotland did grow more hemp again, it could offset the carbon footprint of agriculture there, while also helping the economy.

Bolsanaro out, Lula in. You know that already, but specifically this is very good news for stopping the mass deforestation in Brazil. Experts previously warned the Amazon rainforest would collapse if he stayed in power.

Good animal news

UK’s largest jellyfish bred in zoo. Barrel jellyfish are a massive mushroom-looking species which you can find swimming around the south and west coasts of the UK in the summer. They’ve been bred in a zoo for the first time, which is good news for ensuring their longevity on earth.

Comedy Wildlife photography winners announced. Animals are a good laugh, aren’t they. Photographers have captured many of them in their cookier moments, and the best of the bunch have won awards. It’s good viewing. The sassy penguin is elite.

Elephant has a surprise baby at an animal sanctuary. Caretakers, and even the other elephants in the herd had no idea the elephant was pregnant. Melia, the elephant, also seemed a bit confused apparently. But they’re all healthy, so that’s good.

Good wellness news

A happy marriage is good for the heart. Stress isn’t good for the heart, and love is good for the heart. A new study has even shown that a marriage can help people recover better after a heart attack. Cute.

And if you’re looking to be happier, try eating dinner with the people you love, at the dinner table. It makes families happier, according to a study it makes 91% of families less stressed. Worth a go with flatmates too.

Pomegranate is key to a cancer breakthrough. Those juicy little jewels are full of anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative, and anti-tumorigenic properties. Studies show promise that they (and their nutrients specifically) could help to prevent cancers.

Good culture news

Skepta announces record label and creative agency. Joseph Adenuga, Skepta to you and us, has formally launched Big Smoke Corporation. Within the company, he has confirmed plans to start a creative agency and a record label.

BTS member RM is releasing a solo album. Later this month RM will become the third of the BTS members to release solo works, following their hiatus as a band and military commitments. It’ll be out on November 25th.

Rick Owens has dropped a sneaker that looks like a yeti. It’s a wild and very hairy looking abstract sneaker, and it retails for $730. They look like a lot of fun to stomp around in. Pet dogs will not know what’s going on.

An Cailín Ciúin, which translates to The Quiet Girl has become the highest-grossing Irish language film of all time, marking a totemic moment for the language as a whole. The film is an adaptation of Clare Keegan’s 2010 novella, Foster. Colm Bairéad is the director, and it has been submitted for the Best International Feature at the 2023 Academy Awards.