Why Americans think Brits are cleverer

Americans think that British are smarter because we use “right” to mean “OK”, said The Times. Researchers at Rutgers University in New Jersey found that Britons and Americans used the word in different ways: Americans used it to confirm that they knew what someone was talking about, but Britons used it when information was interesting or new to them. “Thus Americans got the impression the Britons they were talking to already knew everything they discussed, even when the Britons were clueless,” said the paper.

World’s oldest female hockey player crowned

An 82-year-old woman in Virginia has been named the world’s oldest female hockey player, reported UPI. Linda Sinrod loved hockey so much that she became a founding member of the first woman’s hockey team in Washington DC. “After retiring I looked up what my old teammates were doing and found one was coaching the Prince William Wildcats team, so at age 67 I decided to join them,” she said. “I’ve always been the oldest person playing, so I have always even curious as to how old the oldest female oldest female hockey player was, she said.

Labrador loses top spot in the US

The Labrador retriever has lost its crown after a 31 years reign as America’s most popular dog. America’s favourite dog is now the “playful” and “adaptable” French bulldog, said the American Kennel Club. The organisation said the breed had gone from 14th place in 2012 to No 1 in 2022, adding that registrations for the breed had increased by “over 1,000%” in that period. French Bulldogs could be the “perfect companion”, said Sky News.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

For more odd news stories, sign up to the weekly Tall Tales newsletter.