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
It's the size of Switzerland and an astonishing 20 million years old. The world's largest underwater island that's teeming with whales
It’s nearly 200 miles from the nearest land but this spectacular seagrass haven is home to sperm whales, whale sharks, dolphins and more
Scientists lowered a baited camera 1,054m into the Caribbean Sea, then this appeared out of the darkness
In 2024, researchers captured footage of numerous roughskin dogfish in the central Caribbean Sea – the first time the deep-sea species has been recorded there.
Crocodile fish ARE real – and they can create a deadly vortex that sucks prey right into their gaping mouths
The scary-sounding crocodile fish is actually shy and “will likely bolt upon seeing a human,” researchers say
10-year-old boy tags rare black stork near Chernobyl then tracks it in motorhome. This is what he discovered
Noah Beshto is on a mission to learn more about one of the planet's most mysterious birds.
Expedition team surrounded by hundreds of flying foxes in Madagascan forest
Madagascar's fruit bats play an important role in helping forests recover.
"Invisible armour and giant eyes…" It can grow to the size of a human hand, swims through the ocean unseen and lives at depths of around 1,500 metres
Open water animals in the deep sea are dangerously exposed to predators but this one swims through the ocean totally unseen thanks to some special attributes.
Researchers dropped a camera into a murky river in the Amazon – then a rare and peculiar animal appeared
A pod of enigmatic creatures emerged from the darkness and began playing in front of the camera.
Night diver films ambush predator slithering over the seafloor in Indonesia
Footage captured near Komodo Island shows a marine file snake swimming slowly through the darkness.
It’s almost the size of the UK, incredibly dangerous and deep enough to swallow Mount Fuji and visited by one third of the world’s whales and dolphins
The Bay of Biscay is known for its rough waters and incredible wildlife watching opportunities
When this tunnel of swirling mist and air forms over the sea, move away fast!
A waterspout is a weather phenomenon in the same ‘family’ as tornadoes
The world is splitting apart here – and you can slip through the crack
It can flush divers through a narrow vertical drop, spitting them out around 16 metres deep”
This diver was exploring a remote seabed off Western Australia when he stumbled upon a “harrowing yet strangely beautiful” site
The underwater photographer found an enormous skeleton – and thinks he knows how the animal died.
Night diver has "shock of lifetime" as enormous creature swims out of darkness in Australia
While trying to capture a male weedy seadragon protecting his eggs, this photographer was surprised when an huge animal appeared behind it.
In WWI, the German navy tried to sink 74 warships. More than a century later, this is what became of them, 45m below the surface
Scapa Flow, in the Scottish Orkney Islands, is reputed to be among the world’s best wreck diving for both its remarkable history and its spectacular wildlife
Heaviest jellyfish on Earth filmed on night dive in Pacific Ocean
The lion's mane jellyfish has an estimated maximum weight of more than 1,000kg. This videographer found one on a night dive off the west coast of North America.
"They brought this thing down to a loading dock and hoisted it up with a forklift”
Despite being the world's second largest fish, basking sharks are highly elusive, so scientists need to be creative when trying to learn more about them.
Giant manta spotted in Pacific Ocean. It was covered head to tail in sucking creatures
Remoras commonly hitch a ride on larger animals, but a marine biologist was shocked to see a ray almost completely covered in them
"It brought tears to my eyes." Drone footage shows elusive animal with a tooth as long as a car swimming in the Arctic
These animals are usually scared away by any movement in the water – but in 2024, cinematographer Martin Gregus captured them on film.
This underwater robot was filming 30m deep off the Californian coast, when an “unexpected visitor” showed up
A cormorant surprised ocean researchers when it photobombed their underwater survey.
“As it touches the seafloor, it kills whatever living thing it contacts by encasing it in a tomb of ice…” 10 mind-bending, terrifying ocean phenomena
These weird ocean phenomena are out of this world
Underwater robot stumbles across thousands of sharks all packed together and asleep on the seabed – stunning scientists
in 2024 scientists were left scratching their heads, underwater robot captured thousands of female sharks gathered on the seafloor in southern Australia.
Dolphin throws fish at man in Australia – and we're not sure why
When this man went to see a pod of dolphins in Western Australia, he wasn’t expecting them to share a gift.
“I'm shaking…” Watch incredible moment deep-sea researchers see something very rare - and very surprising - deep down in the ocean
This adorable deep-sea animal’s ear flaps make it look like a famous Disney character
Diver films orca carrying gigantic prey into the deep. Then this happens
Remarkable footage shows orcas playing with their food – and scientists have a few theories that might explain why they do it.
