Today Sir David Attenborough celebrates his 99th birthday. The outpouring of love for the world’s favourite storyteller began several days ago when Prince William hailed David’s “lifetime of extraordinary service to our planet” and declared, “may we all raise a glass to a true giant and continue the mission he has led with such grace and urgency”.
Elsewhere, Billie Eilish and others did their best to pin down the magic of David’s inspiration in the pages of the Guardian. David “brings out the childlike curiosity within us all” (Eilish). “His voice is one of wonder that we have the good fortune to exist in the same space and time as these bewildering, beautiful creatures” (Poet Laureate, Simon Armitage). “He’s shown me life on Earth is miraculous, beautiful, brutal; that all species matter and in harming nature we harm ourselves” (climate scientist Dave Reay.)
