Google Earth spot led to hidden Mozambique rainforest — and a new butterfly

From thousands of miles above the ground, Mount Lico looked like little more than a strange green patch hidden inside northern Mozambique. But to ecologist and conservation scientist Julian Bayliss, that patch represented something far more intriguing: a rainforest sealed inside the crater of a remote mountain, apparently untouched by modern exploration, states an online report by BBC Earth. The discovery began on a computer screen in 2012. Six years later, Bayliss and a team of scientists, naturalists and researchers would make the difficult climb into the isolated forest, uncovering species and clues that had remained hidden from the outside world.A forest hidden in plain sightAccording to BBC Earth, Bayliss has spent years using satellite imagery and remote-sensing technology to locate environments that are difficult or impossible to reach on foot. His work has included the discovery of other isolated rainforests in southern Africa, including Mount Mabu.