February 08

Born on February 8, 1825, in Leicester, England. Bates embarked on an eleven-year expedition to the Amazon basin with Alfred Russel Wallace, collecting over 14,000 species. His observations on butterfly mimicry provided key evidence for natural selection, later termed Batesian mimicry. He documented his journey in the influential book The Naturalist on the River Amazons. After returning to England, Bates served as secretary of the Royal Geographical Society and continued his entomological research. He died on February 16, 1892, remembered as a pioneering scientist and intrepid explorer.

Adelir Antônio de Carli was born on February 8, 1967, in Brazil. He was ordained as a Catholic priest and served in the Diocese of Paranaguá. In 2008, he embarked on a high-altitude balloon flight to raise funds for needy children, attaching over 1,000 helium balloons to a lightweight chair. The flight lifted him to significant heights over the Atlantic Ocean before he lost contact. He was declared missing when his balloons drifted off course during the mission. After an extensive search, his body was found days later floating in the ocean. His daring mission highlighted his commitment to charity and adventurous spirit.