Happy 100th birthday David Attenborough! <i>Nature</i> salutes you

You have full access to this article via your institution. It is one of the most memorable moments in natural-history film-making: two young mountain gorillas playing with the broadcaster David Attenborough in Rwanda, later joined by the gorillas’ watchful mother. Attenborough is in his element, quietly demolishing a widely held perception — bolstered over decades by films such as King Kong — that these shy and peaceful creatures pose a violent threat to humans. The clip, filmed in 1978 for the landmark BBC series Life on Earth: A Natural History , demonstrates what has become Attenborough’s trademark over his 70-year career: the communication of new, surprising and complex phenomena by showing rather than telling. There’s no lecture here — just curiosity, mischief and arresting visual impact. Attenborough turns 100 on 8 May. Here, Nature salutes him and celebrates his unparalleled impact as a science communicator who has brought nature closer to many millions of people. We also pay tribute in an immersive article that shows his extraordinary life in pictures (see go.nature.com/4wddktw ). The inspiration he provides must continue to shape efforts to conserve the natural world. A scientist and communicator It’s hard to overstate Attenborough’s influence on science broadcasting. In the early decades of television, programmes fronted by experts usually involved men giving lectures to the camera, with photography and graphics having a secondary role. …