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
'Unicorn of the sea' washes ashore in Ireland. The bizarre Arctic animal has never been seen here before
Known for its iconic tusk, experts say this is the first time a narwhal has been recorded in Irish waters.
When scientists sunk a deep-sea robot 1,300 metres into the Pacific Ocean they found something staggering...
A remotely operated vehicles found never-before-seen hydrothermal activity on the seabed in Papua New Guinea.
Land can be divided up, but who owns the world’s oceans? It’s a tricky question – here’s what the UN thinks
Ever wondered whether anyone owns the world's oceans – including the High Seas? Melissa Hobson takes a look
10 fastest swimmers in the ocean, including one animal that can accelerate to nearly 80MPH quicker than a Porsche
When it comes to fastest animal, we usually think of cheetahs, but many ocean creatures also boast spectacular sprints – here are some of the quickest
"Totally surreal": exceptionally rare white whale amazes divers in Tonga
These tourism guides have been on the sea for 28 years. This is the first time they've seen an all-white whale.
Scientists drop microphones to Arctic seabed, then 4m-long animals with huge tusks appear
We thought eavesdropping on animals didn't annoy them... until these strange-looking creatures started hitting underwater recording devices.
33-metre, 180-tonne monster tops 'biggest animals in the ocean' list – and makes the great white shark look tiny
From the gigantic blue whale to a coral colony so large it can be seen from space, here are some of the most enormous organisms living in the ocean
Researchers tag 8 pilot whales in Hawai'i then follow them into the darkness. What they find is "unbelievable"
For the first time, scientists have quantified how many deep-sea squid short-finned pilot whales in Hawaiʻi need to eat to support their deep-diving lifestyle.
Deep-sea scientists filmed something astonishing and very rarely seen swimming over the seafloor in Chile
Extraordinary footage of a mother squid carrying her eggs
Large cluster of 15-metre, 30-tonne “hungry giants” filmed exploding out of the ocean in Alaska
A whale watcher enjoyed a surprisingly close encounter when a pod of feeding humpback whales surfaced right next to his boat.
Orcas filmed paralysing and eating great white sharks in the Gulf of California
Warmer waters might be bringing more juvenile white sharks to the Gulf of California, where they are easy prey for killer whales, say researchers.
Prehistoric-looking creature seen at bottom of sunken crater in Pacific Ocean
The strange animal was filmed during a research expedition in Vanuatu in the South Pacific Ocean.
Ancient animal filmed slithering over the seafloor near Komodo island
Captured by a night diver in Indonesia, footage shows the creature swimming slowly through the darkness.
Gigantic iceberg breaks free in Antarctica, revealing ghostly mega-nest beneath
Made up of more than 1,000 strange dimples, researchers say the nesting grounds are something they've never been seen before.
Watch heart-stopping footage of rescuers racing to save a sea lion being strangled by plastic before it's too late...
Rescuers saved a sea lion that had become tightly entangled in plastic packaging
Diver drops into Caribbean Sea at night, then tentacled animal rises from depths with unusual things inside it
The surprising sight was filmed on a night dive off the Mexican island of Cozumel.
Hundreds of dolphins are dying young – and scientists say the signs are alarming...
Population growth of common dolphins in the Bay of Biscay has slowed
Underwater robot embarks on "historic mission" to circumnavigate globe. What it finds could be crucial
The subsea glider is sailing around the world to collect important ocean data that could help refine long-term climate projections, say researchers.
Heaviest jellyfish on Earth filmed in British Columbia
The lion's mane jellyfish has an estimated maximum weight of more than 1,000kg. This videographer found one on a night dive in the Salish Sea.
“Talk about a once in a lifetime experience.” See amazing moment 8 massive whales surprise divers on the Great Barrier Reef
Night diver has "shock of lifetime" as immense animal swims out of darkness in Australia
While trying to capture a male weedy seadragon protecting his eggs, this photographer was surprised when an enormous creature appeared behind it.
“One of the ocean’s best kept secrets”: adorable pygmy seahorse filmed hiding in coral reef
A diver in the Philippines caught a rare glimpse of a pygmy seahorse sheltering among the coral.
"We believe this is the first time it has been attempted." Why scientists plan to freeze butterfly eggs in -196C liquid nitrogen
Researchers want to use a technique known as cryopreservation to boost numbers of one of Britain's rarest butterflies.
Iguana filmed “blowing snot rockets" in Galápagos
Unlike other lizards, marine iguanas can forage at sea – and have a clever strategy to get rid of the excess salt from their diet.