Joining The Dark Sky Community
Felted Sea Slugs, Mammals Returned From the Dead, and Immersive Stargazing | Plus SciArts Opportunities & Writing Prompts
SWN Reads…
A World of Vibrant Felted Nudibranchs
Artist Arina Borevich (AKA Wool Creature Lab) brings together art and science in her delightful collection of tiny, felted sea slugs.
This art project celebrates nudibranchs in their many forms through their meticulous and highly intricate recreation in felted fibre. There are approximately 3000 known types of nudibranch, a soft-shelled marine mollusc. While perhaps the humble sea slug has been overlooked as a source of inspiration and attention, Arina Borevich is changing this by highlighting the extreme diversity of nudibranchs and their unique beauty.
I was surrounded by 200 marine biologists and students living and working together on a small island. That summer changed everything. It was there that I first learned about nudibranchs—these impossibly colorful sea slugs with shapes and patterns that looked like they came from another planet.
- Arina Borevich
So far, Borevich has felted around 40 of these vibrant creatures. With each felted nudibranch taking around 12 hours to complete, fans of the Borevich’s work can expect to wait some time to see all known types celebrated in felt.
In the meantime, you can follow Arina and her work on Instagram @wool_creature_lab.
Celebrating the Rediscovery of Lost Creatures
In exciting animal conservation news, two mammals thought long-extinct have been rediscovered in the remote forests of West Papua: the ring-tailed glider and the pygmy long-fingered possum.
These living mammals represent major discoveries because they belong to a class of animal called ‘Lazarus taxa’, named for the biblical figure Lazarus, who was said to be raised from the dead. Species belonging to the ‘Lazarus taxa’ classification are those only previously known to modern science through fossils: species seemingly risen from the dead.
In a world awash with bad news, and no more so than for the environment, it is always joyous when species once thought extinct turn out not to be, and new ones are also described.
- Wildlife ecologist Euan Ritchie.
Winton Joins the Dark Sky Community
Away from the city lights, in the dark of the Queensland outback, an unpolluted sky offers an endless, wondrous view of the stars.
Over 1000km from Brisbane, the town of Winton has committed to lowering its light pollution. With the enthusiastic commitment of the community, by switching to warm street lights, and through new policy regulating lighting, Winton has embraced the beauty of the unpolluted night sky.
Further, these community and council efforts have resulted in Winton receiving an International Dark Sky Community certification, the first in Queensland.
To be able to see that with your naked eye, see nebulas and see things that are well beyond our reach is insane. So many stars. It is ridiculous.
- Winton resident, Makita Caston.
Editor’s Prompts
Your character has the chance to bring an animal back to life. What—or who— might they choose? How might this individual navigate a changed world? How might the world, including your character, receive them?
In a town without light pollution, the nocturnal creatures emerge: in the darkness of a star-lit night, how might the more-than-human beings interact with the townspeople?
SciArts Callouts + Opportunities
Jacaranda Journal: Breaching Boundaries
Breaching Boundaries is an act of resistance—the many pushing back against the few. It recognises the necessity of fighting, of protest, and of the progress that is born only through collective refusal to accept injustice.
Jacaranda Journal invites you to reflect on your resistance. They seek poetry, short fiction, non-fiction, and visual art for their upcoming print edition.
Desperate Literature Short Story Prize
Submissions close April 19.
Furphy Literary Award 2026
The Furphy Literary Award is back for 2026 with the theme: Australian Life in All its Diversity.
Entries close April 30.
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