https://www.live-feeds.com/feed/instagram-selfie-leads-to-find-of-giant-new-water-lilyContinuously updated, source-cited coverage. https://www.live-feeds.com/feed/instagram-selfie-leads-to-find-of-giant-new-water-lilyhttps://www.live-feeds.com/feed/instagram-selfie-leads-to-find-of-giant-new-water-lily#u118264Mon, 12 Oct 2026 13:33:46 +0000An accidental background sighting in an Instagram selfie taken in the Colombian jungle has led scientists to discover a new species of giant water lily. Botanist Carlos Magdalena spotted the plant in a 2021 photo from Colombia's Inirida region in the Orinoco watershed. Indigenous guides later led researchers to the physical plants. Named Victoria colombiana, the rare species features pads measuring up to 2 meters or 6.6 feet across. Researchers describe the find as jaw-dropping, though the newly identified species faces severe conservation threats in its native habitat.Why it mattersGiant