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
Watch incredible footage of a tiny flamboyant cuttlefish hatching from its egg. Is this the cutest baby fish in the ocean? It's certainly the prettiest
See the moment this ‘walking’ cephalopod takes its very first steps
Scientists bump into 'flying spaghetti monster' on deep-sea voyage to underwater mountains
Researchers stumbled upon the otherworldly colony of organisms on their way to an explored seamount off the coast of Chile.
"A wild orca came over and made us a rainbow!" Magical encounter stuns whale watchers off San Diego coast
The orcas were spotted close to border between the USA and Mexico.
"This is not a plot line from Jurassic Park." Scientists are growing babies in a lab to save animals from extinction
Researchers in Florida are collecting and freezing coral eggs and sperm to protect vulnerable species from going extinct.
This enormous shark was swallowed by an even bigger shark – and a lost tracking device reveals exactly what happened
In a scientific first, researchers have discovered that a pregnant porbeagle was eaten by another shark.
Underwater robot stumbles across thousands of sharks asleep on the seabed. Experts are trying to figure what’s happening
Scientists have been left scratching their heads, wondering why so many female sharks are gathered on the seafloor in southern Australia.
"I got to dive through the magic." Freediver films dreamlike swim through "fairy light" salp bloom in Cornwall
The gelatinous sea creatures make long chains that look like twinkling lights in the water.
“To rip off the tail only took a minute." Insane drone footage captures shark eating another shark in Florida
A photographer was astounded when her drone captured the moment a huge hammerhead pounced on a reef shark.
"What a beauty!" First-ever sighting of rainbow sea slug in Devon dazzles underwater photographer
The rare rainbow sea slug, usually found in the Mediterranean, was discovered by a family while rockpooling in Devon.
Hundreds of extremely rare baby hammerhead sharks filmed in Australia
Researchers in Queensland have been observing the critically endangered scalloped hammerheads for several months.
"It had been completely severed off." Shocked scientists film humpback whale with no tail swimming down Washington coast
The humpback whale likely lost its tail in "a very long-term entanglement" in fishing gear, say experts.
A moment of bliss: heartwarming drone footage captures sperm whale family playing in Mediterranean Sea
The whales were filmed rolling over, playing with each other, and swimming in a line over a series of deep-sea underwater canyons known as the Hellenic Trench.
“Welcome to the most spectacular show on Earth!” Diver films incredible feeding frenzy from inside a sardine mega-shoal
One of the world's most magnificent wildlife spectacles takes place from May to July every year – take a deep dive into South Africa's remarkable sardine run.
23-foot shark hit by a boat off the Irish coast
It's the first-ever direct observation of a ship strike on any marine megafauna, say the scientists who filmed the basking shark incident.
Scientists put tiny cameras on a load of Aussie sea lions – and what they found was mesmerising
The footage has given researchers a fascinating insight into the foraging behaviours of sea lions.
Sharks off the coast of Brazil high on cocaine.
In a “stunning” scientific first, researchers in Brazil have found sharks with cocaine in their systems
World’s rarest whale washes up on New Zealand beach and immediately put in a giant fridge. Here's why
Only six spade-toothed whales have ever been documented, making the find particularly significant.
77 pilot whales die in Orkney in one of the most tragic mass strandings in Scottish history
Only 12 animals were still alive when rescuers arrived to one of the worst strandings in Scottish history, but sadly they couldn't be saved
How do you get rid of a dead whale before it explodes? Scientists discover new "ecologically beneficial" method
For the first time, researchers have tagged a dead whale to help figure out the best way to dispose of carcasses.
What's it like to be a deep-sea explorer? Ocean scientist Moronke Harris takes you into the abyss...
From the lab to deep-sea discoveries and global broadcasting, find out what’s involved in being a deep-sea scientist.
“I was able to watch a live screen view of their beating heart." Watch the world's largest fish get a health check
Researchers have used ultrasound to monitor the health of free-swimming whale sharks in Australia.
Sylvia Earle has dedicated her life to marine conservation; she tells BBC Wildlife why protecting the ocean is essential to all life on earth.
“I dream, sometimes, of what the world would be like if whales made the rules, or tuna, or even trees,” says Sylvia Earle
Watch: Humpback whale rescued from fishing gear after being tangled for nine days
It took Australian rescuers two days to free the entangled whale from the ropes and buoys
"It's as addictive as chasing the Aurora." Photographer captures magical bioluminescence event in Wales
Parts of the Welsh ocean have been glowing neon blue thanks to tiny plankton that creates its own light.