Helen Pilcher

Science writer, presenter and performer.

Helen Pilcher is a tea-drinking, biscuit-nibbling science and comedy writer, with a PhD in cell biology. She contributes regularly to BBC Wildlife and BBC Science Focus, and has penned many popular science books. Life Changing: How Humans are Altering Life on Earth was The Times 2020 Science Book of the Year and was shortlisted for the Wainwright Prize for Writing on Global Conservation. Bring Back the King: The New Science of De-extinction was Radio 2’s Fact Not Fiction Book of the Week, and was described by comedian Sara Pasco as ‘science at its funniest.’ In other news, Helen is science advisor to the Beano, and owns a genetically-modified wolf called Higgs. Her favourite bird is the kakapo, her favourite moth is the Merveille du Jour and her favourite beverage is a warm, milky brew; no sugar.

Should the mammoth live again? Why bringing back the extinct mammoth COULD keep the Arctic frozen

What would happen if mammoths were brought back? Helen Pilcher investigates

Should the Tasmanian tiger live again? Why bringing back the extinct thylacine COULD be a wildlife game-changer

What would happen if the thylacine returned as Tasmania's apex predator? Helen Pilcher takes a look

Back from the dead: Scientists plot to resurrect the passenger pigeon - but should we really bring it back just because we can?

Can we - and should we - bring passenger pigeons back? Helen Pilcher investigates

Helen Pilcher

Science writer, presenter and performer.

Should the mammoth live again? Why bringing back the extinct mammoth COULD keep the Arctic frozen

As scientists plot to bring back the dodo, Helen Pilcher asks whether we should - and what would happen if we did

Should the Tasmanian tiger live again? Why bringing back the extinct thylacine COULD be a wildlife game-changer

Back from the dead: Scientists plot to resurrect the passenger pigeon - but should we really bring it back just because we can?

“Our forefathers all hunted turtles" – now former poachers in Fiji are on a mission to save them from extinction

Antarctica’s rapidly shrinking sea ice now threatening already vulnerable seabirds living far away, say scientists

Protect this 0.7% of Earth and help save one third of planet’s most unique animals, finds new report

"We chop toads in half and hang them over the river." The strange experiment that's saving crocodiles in Australia

Which animal has the longest pregnancy? How one female species makes the ultimate sacrifice

Chimpanzees seen eating medicinal plants to help cure diarrhoea and infections

Elephants have names for each other, just like humans, study finds

Chimp moms play 'airplanes' with their kids, even when they're tired and hungry

Can we use IVF on animals?

Can humans spread disease to wildlife?

Parthenogenesis: a guide to how virgin births occur and which species reproduce this way

Helen Pilcher

Science writer, presenter and performer.

Should the mammoth live again? Why bringing back the extinct mammoth COULD keep the Arctic frozen

As scientists plot to bring back the dodo, Helen Pilcher asks whether we should - and what would happen if we did

Should the Tasmanian tiger live again? Why bringing back the extinct thylacine COULD be a wildlife game-changer

Back from the dead: Scientists plot to resurrect the passenger pigeon - but should we really bring it back just because we can?

“Our forefathers all hunted turtles" – now former poachers in Fiji are on a mission to save them from extinction

Antarctica’s rapidly shrinking sea ice now threatening already vulnerable seabirds living far away, say scientists

Protect this 0.7% of Earth and help save one third of planet’s most unique animals, finds new report

"We chop toads in half and hang them over the river." The strange experiment that's saving crocodiles in Australia

Which animal has the longest pregnancy? How one female species makes the ultimate sacrifice

Chimpanzees seen eating medicinal plants to help cure diarrhoea and infections

Elephants have names for each other, just like humans, study finds

Chimp moms play 'airplanes' with their kids, even when they're tired and hungry

Can we use IVF on animals?

Can humans spread disease to wildlife?

Parthenogenesis: a guide to how virgin births occur and which species reproduce this way

Can plants hear?