For the love of nature

Why is it that some of us love spending time in nature, while others prefer staying in? And can we rekindle a person’s long-lost love for nature?

Spending time in nature alleviates many of the stresses and strains of modern life. A regular “dose” of nature reduces the risk of depression, hypertension, diabetes, and a whole host of other non-communicable diseases. A love for nature might also spur a person to care more deeply about environmental issues. Yet many of us, especially young people, are spending less and less time outdoors, raising concerns of an impending health crisis.

Join us at this month’s BrisScience, where UQ’s Professor Richard Fuller explores his team’s recent twin study, finding that a love for nature is partly inherited, explaining why a penchant for the great outdoors seems to run in some families.

Watch the recording

Meet the presenter

Professor Richard Fuller is a teacher and researcher at The University of Queensland. He studies how people have affected the natural world around them, and how some of their destructive effects can best be reversed. Much of his work focuses on the interactions between people and nature, and how they can be harnessed to address the biodiversity crisis.