As 2023 comes to a close, we’re dedicating this last Curiosity Report to some of the natural and scientific successes of the year. Let’s explore the baffling, humbling and inspiring headlines from the last trip around the sun….
Happy New Year to you all, see you in ’24!
Love, Team VFN x
The Natural History Museum in London crowned Laurent Ballesta winner of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2023 Award for the second time in 3 years. His ethereal underwater scenes celebrate the enigma Golden Horseshoe Crab, which is actually not a crab… more of a spider… and has blue blood.
E-Coli is one of the most studied single celled bacterium in the world. We now know, that even though they have no brain, they are able to store genetic memories and pass this on to future generations.
When the Prickly Pear cactus was introduced to Kenya in the 1900s, it was not known how much havoc it could cause to the existing biosphere — from overtaking grazing lands for cattle, to harming baby elephants. Now, Maasai women have created a new way to control this invasive plant and benefit the wider environment, using it to create biofuel — and perhaps just as importanty, empowering women in their society.
Britain wins the world cup in Tokyo?! … what a load of rubbish. Great Britain took Gold in the first ever Litter Picking Olympics this November. No, we didn’t know it was a thing either, but we love it. Go, UK!
Dozens of young people kneeled under the scorching sun this week in Rio de Janeiro, planting a green corridor as a safe passageway for the endangered golden lion tamarin. Joining them… the great granddaughter of Darwin himself.
Bubble curtains were used to limit oil spills — now they’re safeguarding porpoises from wind farm noise in the North Sea.
Meet the five finalists of the 2023 Earthshot Prize, which celebrates groundbreaking solutions for the future of our planet.
Norway’s Svalbard is the fastest warming place on the planet. It is also home The Svea coal mine. In the wake of destruction, this site is now subject of the biggest natural restoration ever undertaken in Norway.
In another rewilding of the coal industry, comes a green solution… An old coal mine full of warm water has been providing an English town with green energy for the last six months.
The Pernambuco holly tree disappeared from records all over the world in 1838, as soon as it was discovered. This year, 3 trees were miraculously uncovered in a city in North East Brazil.
As we reach the final weeks of Tallinn’s European Green Capital 2023, we reflect on how the title, the money and the spotlight has helped residents connect with nature, and each other, in Estonia’s capital.
Five VIP passengers have flown 2,700 miles on a mission to repopulate Chad. The team of rhinos travelled by air from Limpopo, South Africa, with stops in Zambia and Burundi, then on to Zakouma on a C130 military aircraft.
Communication and connection is becoming ever more possible with the introduction of AI – which is a running theme through November’s Curiosity Report. Last month’s…
As the seasons change around the globe, we’re exploring the deep seas, fascinating landscapes and above all – connection in the natural world. Nature’s desire…
