Last Friday, Bogdana Vashchenko and Viktor Lyagushkin delivered a lecture about the bats of Georgia near the Gldani Bridge (Tbilisi, Georgia), which is home to a maternity colony of the Kuhl’s pipistrelle (Pipistrellus kuhlii) and common pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus). The last one is the smallest European bat. It is as small that an adult animal could hide in a matchbox.
During the event, we observed the bats as they hunted and listened to their ultrasonic hunting signals. The event was organized by Auditoria Book Store organized the event.
I recently had the most unexpected and joyous experience during my travels. On the vibrant streets of Tbilisi, Georgia, I stumbled upon something that truly warmed my heart.
As I wandered through the city, I noticed the first page of my bat story for National Geographic Magazine – Georgia displayed on the wall of a charming house! It’s not every day that a writer gets this delightful surprise to see their work showcased in such a public and artistic manner. This reminds me that Storytelling is the most powerful tool ever; it can transcend borders, connect people, and change the world.
I am grateful for the opportunity to share my stories and hope that this small moment can inspire others to appreciate the magic found in unexpected places.
I’m excited to share some insights on overcoming writer’s addiction, inspired by our recent conversation in Croatia at the National Geographic Explorers Hub Meet-Up. We had a fantastic discussion about the challenges of overwriting and the dangers of burnout.
Here are four powerful strategies to help you break free from this cycle and cultivate a more sustainable writing practice in Bogdana Vashchenko’s Science Storytelling blog:
I’d love to hear from all of you! What are your go-to strategies for avoiding burnout in your writing journey? Let’s uplift each other and cultivate a sustainable writing practice!
We are excited to share the remarkable work of Bogdana Vashchenko, a National Geographic Storytelling Explorer, along with the talented photographer Viktor Lyagushkin. Their collaboration was recently featured on the Instagram pages of National Geographic Croatia, Turkiye, Abu Dhabi, and Serbia in honor of International Women’s Day.
On this occasion, Bogdana reflected on legends about winged women, such as the Swan Princess. She shared, “The meaning of these legends is that there are enough wings in this world to set us free. If you see another person in need, lend them your helping wing—at least one feather.”
Every voice matters, and every act of kindness is significant.
Bogdana and Viktor’s partnership showcased powerful stories of women from various cultures, combining stunning visuals with meaningful narratives that resonate deeply. These posts emphasized the importance of women’s struggles for identity and equal rights, inspiring us to appreciate the diverse experiences of women around the world.
The United Nations has chosen Viktor Lyagushkin’s photograph “Martians and a Spaceship” as the cover photo for its 2025 Photo Competition for UN World Oceans Day.
The Photo Competition for UN World Oceans Day is an annual event that is free and open to the public. It offers photographers a unique opportunity to showcase the vast beauty of the ocean and highlight the promising potential that lies beneath its waves.
This year’s competition harnesses the power of the arts to broaden our perspectives and deepen our appreciation for our blue planet, inspiring action toward essential change.
The following four categories are now open for submissions:
1. Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us
2. Big and Small Underwater Faces
3. Underwater Seascapes
4. Above Water Seascapes
Winners will be announced on June 8th, UN World Oceans Day, which this year is celebrated in Nice. The event is hosted by the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea in partnership with Oceanic Global, and the results will be published on DPG (https://www.divephotoguide.com/) shortly afterward.
For more details about submissions, including category descriptions, contest rules, judges, and more, please click here.
The competition is coordinated by the United Nations Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, DPG, Oceanic Global, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO, and Nausicaá.
If you’re as passionate about making science engaging and accessible as I am, I’d love for you to check out my ( Bogdana Vashchenko’s) Science Storytelling newsletter, a resource dedicated to enhancing the storytelling skills of researchers, photographers, and educators. I am a National Geographic Explorer and a science writer with almost 20 years of experience. Your support means the world to me—please read and subscribe!
I am thrilled to share our work in the final issue of National Geographic Magazine—Georgia for 2024. In this article, I showcase the inspiring journey of the Ilias State University of Georgia researchers team as they successfully located and captured the greater noctule bat (Nyctalus lasiopterus), a species that has eluded Georgian scientists since 1971!
Text by: Bogdana Vashchenko Photography by: Viktor Lyagushkin
And more of our published Chukotka stories. The indigenous peoples of Chukotka still survive today by hunting and fishing. They go to sea in kayaks, as they did 500 years ago. What and how is a modern Chukchi-Yupik kayak made of, and what is it for?
Text by Bogdana Vashchenko, Viktor Lyagushkin’s photo in the German magazine Kanu (March-April) 2/2024.
In the cover feature story Life On The Edge for Asian Geographic Magazine, I explored the modern way of life of the Indigenous people of Chukotka. I highlighted the connection of the Yupik and Chukchi people with nature and their humble and brave characters. The article can be found in issue #162, Green Edition of Asian Geographic. The amazing photographs are by Viktor Lyagushkin, and the text is by Bogdana Vashchenko.
The Editor-In-Cheif traditional foreword in the January 2024 issue of National Geographic Magazine – Georgia is almost all about bats and our cover feature story, published in. Text: Bohdana Vashchenko, photography: Viktor Lyagushkin.
Thank you, Ketevan Chumburidze, for your help and work! It was a great pleasure to collaborate with you and all the team on the story.
The project was funded by the National Geographic Society.
