Melissa Hobson
Marine science and conservation writer
Melissa Hobson, doing business as The Ocean Writer Ltd., is a marine science and conservation writer based in Hastings. She has written about the ocean for outlets including BBC Wildlife, BBC Countryfile, National Geographic, New Scientist and the Guardian. Visit Melissa’s website at melissahobson.co.uk or follow her on LinkedIn.
Recent articles by Melissa Hobson
"You can hear them talking to each other through your hull.” Sailor alone at sea for a week. Then this happens
One week into a 10,000-mile solo voyage across the Arctic Ocean, this sailor had a wildlife encounter to remember.
Researchers followed humpback whales to the seabed – and saw them hunting in a way never seen before
Scientists just saw – and filmed – humpbacks cooperatively hunting along the seafloor for the first time.
Scuba divers in Bali thought this huge shape was a whale shark. But it wasn't
In an extremely rare encounter, a great white shark joined a group of scuba divers in Indonesia.
Divers saw a shark approaching – and were stunned when it did this
Extremely rare footage shows an oceanic whitetip shark breaching in the Maldives.
It has a squidgy nose, sharp quills and a prehensile tail – and this adorable footage shows one shimmying up a tree
Have you ever seen a porcupine climb a tree?
“It was pure chaos!” This diver stumbled across a huge lion's mane jellyfish in Australia
Underwater videographer shares incredible footage of the moment he discovers an enormous lion's mane jellyfish.
"While snorkelling a scientist was dragged underwater and drowned by one of these huge predators…" 8 deadliest animals in the Antarctic Ocean
If you somehow find yourself in the Antarctic Ocean, these are the animals you don't want to cross.
This solar-powered sea slug slurps its lunch like a smoothie then does a headstand. The footage is beyond belief
When these sea slugs feed on algae, they pinch their prey's ability to photosynthesise. Now, scientists have shared remarkably rare footage of them feeding.
These people went out on the reef at night – and found walking sharks in the shallows
Epaulette sharks are famous for using their fins like limbs to help them crawl around the seabed. Now, a new study reveals that coral reefs are important nursery grounds for these curious marine creatures.
"As it touches the seafloor, it kills whatever living thing it contacts by encasing it in a tomb of ice…" Discover the finger of death
Strange and deadly brinicles form polar waters because of the difference between air and sea temperatures
Enormous apex predator filmed 430m deep in Pacific Ocean
When deep-sea researchers visited the Marshall Islands, they captured rare footage of bluntnose sixgill sharks – a species that can grow over 5m long.
Researchers hid a camera off the coast of South Africa, then a "creepy creature" appeared and attacked this shark
Shark “finds out the hard way” why it shouldn’t mess with this bizarre ocean animal.
Gigantic jellyfish caught on camera in Patagonia. This ocean titan can grow longer than a tennis court
Lion’s mane jellyfish have huge, stinging tentacles perfectly designed to help them capture tiny prey.
If you've never seen a deep-sea 'galaxy', you NEED to watch this
This galaxy siphonophore is a stunning colonial organism that glows as red as burning embers.
Submersible stumbles upon prehistoric animal 365m deep in Pacific darkness
These striped critters have been on the planet long before the time of the dinosaurs.
Drone pilot spots humpback whale acting strangely. What happens next is breathtaking
Scientists in Australia believe they have captured the birth of a baby humpback on camera – only the fourth time this intimate moment has ever been filmed.
See two huge bull elephant seals engage in a bruising fight for dominance
Coming to blows is a last resort for male elephant seals competing for dominance.
This is the largest migration on Earth (and it’s not what you think)
The largest migration actually occurs within our deep sea
"Honestly, truly beyond belief…" It was a humongous 7 miles long, 5 miles wide and made up of a staggering 100,000 individuals…
Is this the largest super pod ever seen?
When lions raided wild dog dens in Botswana, wildlife guides didn’t expect to see this
African wild dogs are an endangered species, so safari guides were saddened when they believed lions had killed an entire litter. But then this happened
“Rushing past like a freight train." Diver films unusual manta chain in Great Barrier Reef
Manta mating chains usually have several males in pursuit of one female – but this wildlife photographer saw something odd in Australia.
16ft great white shark found with perfectly circular hole in its head – scientists know exactly what caused it
The strange-looking wound was made by another predator, say experts from the California White Shark Project.
"Look at that, 5ft from the boat." Skipper spots one of the weirdest fish on the planet off the coast of England
Skipper Kurt Lander saw two sunfish in the shipping lanes off the coast of Sussex.
Polar bear pulls seal pup onto ice then backs away. The reason why is extraordinary
Mother seals usually stay close to their pups and this polar bear tried to use that fact to its advantage.
