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
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.
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.
Diver finds colossal animal skeleton off Australian coast. We know what killed it
The gigantic creature was discovered on the seabed in a remote part of Western Australia.
When researchers tracked 24 giant manta rays into the deep, they discovered an amazing new behaviour
Scientists now think that oceanic manta rays dive hundreds of metres below the surface to get their bearings.
Disoriented dolphins are stranding more often – and scientists say a disturbing cause is emerging
Toxins from harmful algae can cause Alzheimer’s-like symptoms, such as disorientation, in dolphins
Explorers drop 6 miles into Japan's deepest abyss, then 29,556 bizarre organisms emerge from the darkness
The crewed submersible visited three underwater trenches during the expedition, reaching depths of 9,775 metres.
Oldest living animal ever found suggests Atlantic Ocean is close to tipping point, say scientists
Quahog clams can live for more than 500 years. A new study of these bivalves reveals what the ocean used to be like – and offers clues of what might happen in the future.
What is Fat Bear Week and why is everyone so obsessed with it?
For one week each September, Alaskan bears battle it out to be crowned the girthiest grizzly – but why?
When an underwater robot was sent to the bottom of a deep-sea canyon, it made an astounding discovery
Researchers in Uruguay have found thriving deep-water coral reefs and dozens of new species.