A tourist's Instagram selfie just became a brand-new giant waterlily

Five years ago, an American tourist named Jeremiah Harris posted a selfie floating near giant waterlilies in Colombia's Inírida region. Kew Gardens botanist Carlos Magdalena spotted it and realized: these shouldn't exist here. Satellite images confirmed the pads, and a five-day jungle expedition — capped by a 1 a.m. boat ride with Tucano navigator Gustavo Melo — found seven plants, one in flower. The new species, Victoria colombiana, may be visible from space — and with only 30 to 50 individuals known, it's already critically endangered. Discovery is step one; protection is step two.