'Extinct' plant pops up in Australia after 60 years
A plant called Ptilotus senarius, thought to be extinct since 1967, just made a surprise comeback in Queensland.
Horticulturist Aaron Bean stumbled across it while bird banding along the Gilbert River last June—talk about an unexpected find!
How did they confirm it?
Bean posted photos on iNaturalist, an app where anyone can share nature sightings.
Experts at the Queensland Herbarium checked a new sample and confirmed it's the real deal.
Now, scientists are excited to track and protect this "lost" shrub.
Why does this matter?
This rediscovery shows there could be more hidden species out there, especially in places people rarely visit.
As ecologist Thomas Mesaglio put it, species can persist undetected.
It's a win for citizen science—and proof that even small discoveries can make a big difference for biodiversity.