Uploaded August 2022 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
Why is it that some of us love spending time in nature, while others prefer staying in? And can we rekindle a person’s long-lost love for nature?
Spending time in nature alleviates many of the stresses and strains of modern life. A regular “dose” of nature reduces the risk of depression, hypertension, diabetes, and a whole host of other non-communicable diseases. A love for nature might also spur a person to care more deeply about environmental issues. Yet many of us, especially young people, are spending less and less time outdoors, raising concerns of an impending health crisis.
In this BrisScience, UQ’s Professor Richard Fuller explores his team’s recent twin study, finding that a love for nature is partly inherited, explaining why a penchant for the great outdoors seems to run in some families.
Why is it that some of us love spending time in nature, while others prefer staying in? And can we rekindle a person’s long-lost love for nature?
Spending time in nature alleviates many of the stresses and strains of modern life. A regular “dose” of nature reduces the risk of depression, hypertension, diabetes, and a whole host of other non-communicable diseases. A love for nature might also spur a person to care more deeply about environmental issues. Yet many of us, especially young people, are spending less and less time outdoors, raising concerns of an impending health crisis.
In this BrisScience, UQ’s Professor Richard Fuller explores his team’s recent twin study, finding that a love for nature is partly inherited, explaining why a penchant for the great outdoors seems to run in some families.
