IMAGE OF NOTE
WHAT WE LOST IN THE FIRE
Flames engulf Brazil’s National Museum in Rio de Janeiro in early September, as horrified onlookers watch helplessly. The blaze destroyed most
of the roughly 20 million items in the collection, the largest in South America and more than twice as big as that of the British Museum. Artwork,
unique fossils, zoological specimens and entire cultural histories were lost. Severe funding cuts for maintenance in recent years likely contributed
to the fire’s intensity, and the institution’s future is uncertain. What is clear: The devastation is a tragedy not just for Brazil, but for the world, and
a serious blow to science. GEMMA TARLACH; PHOTO BY RICARDO MORAES/REUTERS
January/February 2019^ DISCOVER^79