From the nightly bat exodus at Bracken Cave in San Antonio to playful pandas at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, D.C., nature-focused livestreams have captured the attention of millions—and their popularity keeps growing.
Now, new research from The University of Texas at Arlington reveals that these livestreams do more than connect viewers to the natural world; they also foster meaningful human connections. UT Arlington social work Professor Rebecca Mauldin coauthored a study with University of Mississippi Professor Keith Anderson titled “Nature-focused livestreams: Connecting people to nature and to each other,” published in Current Opinion in Psychology.
“These streams are offering more than passive entertainment,” the study notes. “They’re helping people reconnect with nature and form new online communities bonded by shared awe and appreciation.”…