Today marks the 97th birthday of the beloved British broadcaster and natural historian Sir David Attenborough. Thanks to his esteemed career presenting show after show about our wonderful world and the life that inhabits it, Attenborough has quite literally become the voice of our planet - often imitated, but never to be replaced. Born on May 8, 1926, Attenborough led a relatively quiet early life growing up in Leicester, England. His father was the principal of a university there while his brother, Richard, pursued a successful career in acting as well as film production. (Richard Attenborough is perhaps best known to modern audiences for his role as John Hammond in 1993's Jurassic Park.) However, Sir David decided to take a slightly different route from his sibling, and eventually, it would earn him major roles in TV. His interest in natural history spurred him to become a television producer for the BBC where he could pique audiences' interests in programs concerning wildlife. In fact, Attenborough is the only person in history to win BAFTA awards for show in black and white, color, high-definition, 3D, and 4K - a feat that quite simply cannot be replicated. In celebration of the big day, many individuals, fans, organizations, and companies have taken to Twitter to wish Sir David a happy birthday: [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/BBC/status/1655467574958886912]] [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/Johnnypapa64/status/1655433291242041346]] [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/CounsellingSam/status/1655517388425646082]] [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/MarshallJulius/status/1655460019175841794]] [[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/nationaltrust/status/1655528271642066944]] As per <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/David-Attenborough" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Britannica</a>, Attenborough's first major show saw him team up with Jack Lester, who specialized in all things reptilian, and together they created the television series Zoo Quest, a show that launched all the way back in 1954 and followed animals zoos and in the wild. <img class="wp-image-1263204012 size-large" src="https://img.vt.co/2023/03/HHAR0X-1-1024x683.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" />[[imagecaption|| Sir David Attenborough in 1985. Credit: Adam Beeson / Alamy]] From then on, the TV veteran went on to take part in shows such as Life on Earth (1979), The Blue Planet (2001), and Life in Cold Blood (2008), which focused on issues beyond wildlife, such as climate change. Attenborough still is a notable voice in the world of climate activism. <img class="wp-image-1263204013 size-large" src="https://img.vt.co/2023/03/AAWWAK-1-679x1024.jpg" alt="" width="679" height="1024" />[[imagecaption|| Sir David Attenborough in The Life of Mammals, which was filmed in South Africa. Credit: Adam Seward / Alamy]] In an article for <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/12904611/david-attenborough-ten-years-changes-planet-recover/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Sun</a>, the narrator urged us all to take better care of the planet emphasizing that "we are already seeing the coral reefs dying, forests disappearing, the North Pole beginning to melt." "If we help nature to recover it will help us clean our air, bring back bees and other pollinators and lock away carbon, helping us tackle climate change AND improve all our lives," he added before listing simple ways of preserving resources like turning off the light when you're not using it or being more mindful when it comes to waste materials. <img class="wp-image-1263204014 size-large" src="https://img.vt.co/2023/03/DMXM7C-1024x683.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" />[[imagecaption|| Sir David Attenborough is awarded the freedom of the city of Bristol. Credit: First Stop Photo / Alamy]] In 2017, Attenborough was awarded an Emmy for his narration of Blue Planet II. His most recent work included an eight-part series of Our Planet which saw a host of different wild animals brought to our TV screens. Netflix picked up the show to put on the streaming platform in 2019, which introduced Attenborough to a wider audience. Happy birthday, Sir David! We can only hope for many more happy returns! <h6>Featured image credit: Album / Alamy</h6>

Happy Birthday, Sir David Attenborough - beloved broadcaster turns 97

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