A small wasp, no bigger than a grain of rice, sat unnoticed in a drawer at London's Natural History Museum for over 40 years. Last week, it received a name: Attenboroughnculus tau. It was one of many gifts Sir David Attenborough received for his 100th birthday on 8 May.
The loudest celebration took place at the Royal Albert Hall in South Kensington, where the BBC staged a 90-minute live tribute called "David Attenborough's 100 Years on Planet Earth." About 5,000 people attended, including Prince William. King Charles III sent a video message delivered by an animated hedgehog, squirrel and otter.
Famous people paid tribute, including Sir Michael Palin, Dame Judi Dench, Olivia Colman, and Leonardo DiCaprio. The Icelandic band Sigur Rós performed live.
Attenborough was born on 8 May 1926 in Isleworth, west London. He joined the BBC in 1952 and created famous wildlife series including Life on Earth and Planet Earth. At 74 years with the BBC, he remains the most recognised voice in nature broadcasting.
The wasp specimen was collected in 1983 in Chile's temperate rainforests. Museum volunteer Augustijn De Ketelaere discovered it did not match any known genus. Dr Gavin R. Broad formally named the species in the Journal of Natural History. The name "tau" comes from the Greek letter T, matching the marking on the wasp's abdomen. At 3.5 millimetres long, it perfectly honours a man whose career has shown that small things deserve our attention.