The most accurate way to describe my niche, I guess, is as a marine science journalist. One of my specialisms as a writer is covering exciting new studies and discoveries in the marine conservation space. There's so much we don't know about the ocean and we're learning new things all the time. As a marine science journalist, I love finding new papers that shed a little more light on our ocean, the creatures that call it home and how to protect our blue planet. Here are a few examples of my writing about marine conservation studies.
Crittercams - National Geographic
I love the weird rabbit holes my writing takes me down. In this piece, I heard how researchers attached Crittercams to manta rays and filmed the species' deepest recorded courtship train.
Humpback whale sex - Scientific American
There's always something really special about getting a new byline in a publication you've wanted to work with. Especially when the news is of the first ever recorded instance of sex between humpback whales. My debut for SciAm was just that.
Solar storms - Scientific American
How do solar storms affect migratory animals? I explored the story for Scientific American.
Bioluminescent sea cucumbers - New Scientist
Think it's totally dark at the bottom of the ocean? Think again... Researchers discovered 10 species of sea cucumber can emit light and there may be 200 more bioluminescent species down there. So cool how we're always learning about the underwater world.
Sharks in lobster den - BBC Wildlife
Divers in Australia set up a camera in a lobster den and were shocked to see Port Jackson and crested horn sharks appear from the darkness. I covered the new footage for BBC Wildlife.
Octopus punches fish - National Geographic
For Nat Geo, I wrote about an intriguing behavior where octopus punch fish during hunts. Scientists believe the punches are meant to keep the fish in line, based on new video footage.
Cassius the crocodile's true age - Live Science
I wrote about the ongoing investigation into the age of Cassius, the world's largest captive crocodile, after his passing in Australia. For Live Science, I found out how a necropsy is being conducted to uncover how old he really was when he died.
Whale tagging in Australia - BBC Wildlife
Researchers placed cameras on 10 humpback whales to uncover secrets of their migration along Australia's east coast – I covered the results for BBC Wildlife.
Ancient sea cow's gruesome end - Live Science
A fossilized sea cow found in Venezuela reveals a dramatic story: it was killed by a prehistoric crocodile and later scavenged by a tiger shark.
Orcas targeting boats - Live Science
Scientists suggest orcas in the Iberian Peninsula may be ramming sailboats to hone their hunting skills, using yachts as target practice.
Flying spaghetti monster - BBC Wildlife
I wrote about an astonishing discovery made by scientists on a deep-sea voyage, where they found a colony of organisms (known as a "flying spaghetti monster") near a seamount off the coast of Chile. For BBC Wildlife.
Breaching sharks - New Scientist
Breaching is a common behavior in many sharks and rays, and it serves multiple purposes, including courtship, birthing, and hygiene. It happens more often than you'd expect, as I found out in this news article for New Scientist.
Escaping eels - Live Science
Researchers used X-ray video to capture an astonishing sight: a baby Japanese eel escaping from a predator’s stomach. I wrote about this remarkable first in scientific observation and what it reveals about eel survival.
Biotwang mystery solved - Scientific Americany
After 10 years, scientists finally uncovered the source of the mysterious "biotwang" sound first heard echoing through the Mariana Trench. I had the scoop for Scientific American.
World's grumpiest fish - BBC Wildlife
A tiny, 2 cm-long goby discovered in the Red Sea has been dubbed the grumpiest fish on Earth – and its fierce, predatory nature proves it’s not just a grumpy face. I found out more for BBC Wildlife.
Rare guitarfish at risk - BBC Wildlife
The critically endangered halavi guitarfish, which resembles a guitar, is at risk of extinction within a few years if conservation efforts aren’t made soon. I dived into conservation efforts for BBC Wildlife.
Leucistic shark - Live Science
For Live Science, I covered the first record of a leucistic angular roughshark, which was spotted near Sazan Island, Albania.
World's largest coral - National Geographic
I wrote about a groundbreaking discovery for National Geographic: a massive 300-year-old coral reef near the Solomon Islands; so big it can be spotted from space.
Tectonic discovery - BBC Wildlife
For BBC Wildlife I wrote about an underwater robot's unexpected encounter at the meeting point of three tectonic plates in the Pacific Ocean, where it stumbled upon a shimmering bristle worm.
Mystery mollusc - Live Science
Scientists have discovered an unusual swimming sea slug, known as the mystery mollusc. For Live Science,I found out what they’ve discovered, including that the unique animal hunts in an extraordinary way — snapping up prey like a Venus flytrap.
World’s largest coral colony - BBC Wildlife
Experts have uncovered the largest coral colony in the Pacific Ocean, so massive it can be seen from space. I wrote about this vast 300-year-old find for BBC Wildlife.
Lonely dolphin - Live Science
A solitary dolphin in the Baltic Sea has been caught "talking to himself." I found out more for Live Science from researchers who believe this unusual behavior might be a call for companionship.
Courtship vortex - National Geographic
It always seems to come back to sex, doesn't it?! As an ocean writer, lots of my articles cover cool things we've learned about animals getting jiggy underwater. And this story was no different. In this Nat Geo article, I was excited to write about the first description of a mesmerising 'courtship vortex' in devil rays (although the section on 'piggyback leaping' was rather, um, disturbing...!)
Kelping - National Geographic
I must admit this was a really fun one to write. For Nat Geo, I wrote about the 'kelping' phenomenon - when whales wear seaweed like a hat - how it's more common than previously thought and what might really be going on.
Mass stranding - BBC Wildlife
Sometimes I have to write about really sad stories and this was one of them. For BBC Wildlife, I covered the mass stranding of 77 pilot whales in Orkney.
Sea lion cameras – BBC Wildlife
Why did scientists attach tiny cameras to Australian sea lions? I wrote about the fascinating footage of their foraging habits for BBC Wildlife.
Olympic surf tower – National Geographic
This was an interesting one to dive into. For Nat Geo, I looked at the concerns surfers raised about the impact of the Olympic surf tower on Tahiti’s coral ecosystem.
Cocaine sharks – BBC Wildlife
No, it’s not a crazy movie script. Sharks off the coast of Brazil have been found with cocaine in their systems. I wrote about it for BBC Wildlife.
Basking shark collision - BBC Wildlife
Heartbreaking that this huge basking shark was hit by a ship just after being tagged. I covered the ship strike story for BBC Wildlife.
Shark struck by boat – BBC Countryfile
A tragic event off the coast of Ireland. For BBC Countryfile, I reported on a 23-foot shark struck by a boat near the Dingle Peninsula.
Pilot whale stranding - BBC Countryfile
Another piece on the sad mass pilot whale stranding, this time for BBC Countryfile.
World’s rarest whale - BBC Wildlife
Another fun story for BBC Wildlife. I wrote about the rare spade-toothed whale that washed up on a New Zealand beach and why it was stored in a giant fridge.
Waterspout - National Geographic
When a deadly waterspout sank a yacht off the coast of Italy, Nat Geo commissioned me to explain what these dramatic events are and whether they could worsen with climate change.
Shark eats shark - BBC Wildlife
A jaw-dropping moment captured on film. For BBC Wildlife, I wrote about a massive hammerhead tearing into a reef shark off the Florida coast.
Rare whale in Ireland - BBC Countryfile
Wow. A critically endangered North Atlantic right whale was spotted off Ireland’s coast—the first confirmed sighting in 114 years. I wrote up the story for BBC Countryfile.
Smalleye stingray - Nat Geo
Writing about wildlife firsts is always exciting - and that's exactly why I loved working on this story for National Geographic about the team at MMF tagging smalleye stingrays in the wild. Very, very cool!
Phantom jellyfish - Nat Geo
I hate the cold so am often drawn to tropical climates. But there's also fascinating work going on in the polar regions. Again for Nat Geo, I was excited to cover the rare sighting of a giant phantom jellyfish and how tourism is impacting scientific discoveries.
Football fish - BBC Wildlife
Only 31 Pacific football fish have ever been recorded so it was exciting to write about this specimen when it washed up on an Oregon beach.
Hagfish - Live Science
Imagine a creature that can choke a shark... by spewing spectacularly sticky slime.
Introducing the hagfish. Thanks to Live Science for letting me learn more about this deep-sea weirdo.
Echidna vomit - BBC Wildlife
How surprised would you be to see a tiger shark vomit up an entire echidna? Yep, these scientists were pretty surprised too. Another weird but fun ocean story I wrote about for BBC Wildlife.
Smalltooth sawfish deaths - Live Science
What caused smalltooth sawfish to start spinning in circles and then drop dead? For a while, scientists were baffled by this strange die off. I wrote about the mystery for Live Science.
Orcas vs sharks - Live Science
Are we underestimating how often orcas are eating sharks? I took a dive into the evidence so far for Live Science.
Snoozing sharks - BBC Wildlife
An underwater robot uncovered thousands of female sharks resting on the seafloor in southern Australia, leaving scientists puzzled. I got to cover the story for BBC Wildlife.
Pregnant porbeagle eaten - BBC Wildlife
I wrote about a shocking scientific first—how a pregnant porbeagle shark was eaten by a larger shark, with a lost tracking device revealing the whole sequence of events. For BBC Wildlife.
Coral IVF - BBC Wildlife
Another BBC Wildlife story: I wrote about scientists in Florida working to save coral reefs by collecting and freezing eggs and sperm, potentially allowing them to grow babies in the lab to prevent extinction.
Supersized sharks - Nat Geo
Why does this remote Pacific island attract supersized sharks? Is it the 'hamburger drive thru' or something else? I had the story for Nat Geo.
Welsh bioluminescence - BBC Wildlife
When Welsh beaches started glowing neon blue, I spoke to the photographer who's become addicted to chasing this magical phenomenon. This was a really cool story to write for BBC Wildlife.
Bioluminescence in Wales - BBC Countryfile
"Surreal" plankton turned the Welsh coast neon blue... and I was there (virtually) to write about it for BBC Countryfile.
Rip currents - Nat Geo
What causes a rip current? And do you know how to spot one? I learned a lot while writing this Nat Geo article.
Whale shark ultrasound - BBC Wildlife
Ever wondered what it would be like for the world's largest fish to get a health check? Wonder no more... I had the story for BBC Wildlife.
Baby hammerheads - BBC Wildlife
Hundreds of baby hammerheads. Come on, do I really need to say anything else to tempt you to read this story I wrote for BBC Wildlife?
Shark vs swordfish - New Scientist
This shark survived being stabbed through the head by a swordfish! The ocean never ceases to amaze me... really interesting to cover this study for New Scientist.
Leave no trace - Nat Geo
How one bag of chips disrupted an entire ecosystem. You've heard "leave no trace" when hiking—here’s the science behind why it’s crucial to leave wild environments the way you found them. Another interesting one I picked up for National Geographic.
Star sand - Nat Geo
This isn't a starfish—it's a rare sand found in Japan AND IT'S MADE OF TINY LITTLE STARS. It's not only cute but also super interesting. Find out more about it in my story for National Geographic.
Pregnant manta rays - National Geographic
I love how new scientific and technological developments are helping us push conservation efforts forward. A great example of this was my Nat Geo article on the Manta Trust's study whiched used contactless ultrasound scanners to more accurately determine pregnancy and maturity in manta rays. The paper confirms scientists have been underestimating the number of mature females in the population, meaning they're more vulnerable than we previously thought.
Shrinking right whales - Live Science
North Atlantic right whales are critically endangered. They're also shrinking... & this could have worrying consequences for the population. I covered the story for Live Science.
Green spoon worms - Live Science
For Live Science’s Amazing Animals segment, I geeked out about the green spoonworm. These vibrant green marine creatures not only wield a toxic pigment for protection but also have an extraordinary ability to transform males into "living testicles" in service of the females.
Collecting orca’s breath - BBC Wildlife
This groundbreaking research could unlock crucial insights into the health of a small orca population off North America’s west coast. I wrote about how these samples might shape future conservation efforts for BBC Wildlife.
Roughskin dogfish - BBC Wildlife
When scientists dropped a baited camera over a kilometer deep into the Caribbean, they captured an extraordinary moment: the first-ever footage of a roughskin dogfish in this region. I covered the story for BBC Wildlife.
Europe's native oyster reefs collapse - BBC Wildlife
Once spanning areas larger than Greater London, Europe’s native oyster reefs have nearly collapsed. I covered the concerning news for BBC Wildlife.
Mega momma dies - Live Science
For Live Science, I wrote about the unfortunate death of a huge pregnant great white shark caught on a drumline and how her body might help scientists uncover the mysteries of great white reproduction.
E/V Nautilus meets a nautilus – BBC Wildlife
The Nautilus research vessel captured rare footage of nautiloids. These primitive animals have barely evolved since the age of the dinosaurs. I’ve only ever seen a specimen in the Natural History Museum I so was stoked to share this epic video on BBC Wildlife.
Whale alphabet - BBC Wildlife
A, B, C...etacean. Whales might have their own alphabet! Researchers have used AI to decode sperm whale codas and might have found a phonetic alphabet. Cool story to write about for BBC Wildlife Magazine.
1000 mantas - BBC Wildlife
Loved writing this for BBC Wildlife Magazine - researchers have identified 1,000 individual oceanic manta rays in the Maldives. The Maldives is has the world's largest population of these giant mantas. The 1000th manta has been named ‘Anbu’ (which means mango in Dhivehi).
Noisy fish - BBC Wildlife
If they move together "in just the right way" a school of seven fish can sound like a single fish. This discovery could help make stealthier underwater vehicles. I covered the story for BBC Wildlife.
Kelp restoration - the Guardian
This article was a particularly special one for me. Not only was it the first time I had a commission with the Guardian (hopefully not the only time - let's see how I get on with future pitches!) but, after the piece went out, Steve's project was flooded with support (and about £10k in crowdfunding donations). Such a wonderful reminder that storytelling is SUCH an important part of conservation projects. Plus, it was super interesting to learn about and write, of course!
Defensive defecation - BBC Wildlife
The great thing about having a niche is you get emails from editors saying things like Ummm, we really need someone to write about whale poo so obviously we thought of you. So, here we are... A fun & intriguing one for BBC Wildlife Magazine.
Red handfish rescue - BBC Wildlife
The critically endangered red handfish is a peculiar species so it was really fun to learn more about the operation to 'rescue' 25 of them from the wild to protect them from upcoming marine heatwaves. By debut byline for BBC Wildlife.
Red handfish release - BBC Wildlife
Some positive news... the rare red handfish that were taken into captivity to protect them from marine heatwaves have been released back into the wild. Nice to write about this positive conservation story for BBC Wildlife Magazine recently.
Deep sea discoveries - BBC Wildlife
This "astonishing deep-sea 'galaxy'" is probably the closest I'll get to writing about space. For BBC Wildlife.
Spinning sawfish - BBC Wildlife
Scientists are worried about endangered smalltooth sawfish which have been seen spinning in circles and dying. Now, experts are getting involved to rescue, rehabilitate and release these fish in distress. I wrote about it for BBC Wildlife.
Ancient shark fossils - Live Science
"Exceptionally preserved" fossils of an ancient shark that lived alongside the dinosaurs have finally revealed what the predator looked like — and why it may have gone extinct. Thanks Live Science for sending this story my way.
Bottom feeding whale sharks - New Scientist
It's amazing that 'regular people' can help scientists discover new things about elusive animals in our ocean. A great is example is in this piece I wrote for New Scientist - a tourism guide spotted some unusual behaviour in a whale shark and managed to get it on film. It was the first time we've ever seen whale sharks (which usually nom on plankton in the water column) feeding from the bottom. Wow!
Whale shark ship strikes - Nat Geo
Ship strikes aren't just a problem for whales. Scientists believe whale sharks are also being taken out by ship strikes and I covered the study for Nat Geo.
Underwater drones - BBC Widlife
Thanks to BBC Wildlife Magazine for letting me geek out about this DNA project - using underwater drones to learn more about mesophotic coral ecosystems in Japan.
Hot fish - New Scientist
Changing everything we thought we knew about basking sharks... they might actually be warm blooded! Love that I get to geek out on crazy discoveries like this for New Scientist and call it work.
Whale larynx - Nat Geo
I never knew I would know so much about the anatomy of a baleen whale's larynx... but that's life as an ocean writer, I guess! In this article for Nat Geo, I wrote about a new discovery into baleen whales’ anatomy that helps them sing underwater without drowning.
Skeleton panda - Live Science
🌊 + ☠️ + 🐼 = the skeleton panda sea squirt! Another ocean weirdo I wrote about for Live Science.
Sarcastic fringehead - Live Science
These teeny fish engage in mouth-to-mouth combat - another amazing example of the cool life in our oceans! A fun one to write about for Live Science
Shocking finding - New Scientist
In a scientific first, researchers were able to induce gene transfer using all natural organisms for the first time. For New Scientist, I covered this study where researchers used electric eel electricity to successfully transfer a fluorescent marker into zebrafish larvae.
Charlotte the stingray - BBC Wildlife
How does a stingray get pregnant when she hasn't seen another male ray in eight years? I covered the mystery of Charlotte the stingray's pregnancy for BBC Wildlife.
Shocking finding - New Scientist
In a scientific first, researchers were able to induce gene transfer using all natural organisms for the first time. For New Scientist, I covered this study where researchers used electric eel electricity to successfully transfer a fluorescent marker into zebrafish larvae.
Mega pregnancy - New Scientist
Megamouth sharks are an incredibly rare deep sea species. So, it was a huge surprise when a female pregnant with seven pups washed up in the Philippines - the first recorded pregnancy in the species. I covered the discovery for New Scientist.
Sharks on strange shores - Sunday Times
Scientists were amazed when not one but three smalltooth sand tiger sharks washed up on the UK & Irish coastline. For the Sunday Times, I talked to scientists to find out what might have brought this rare species to our shores.
Crown-of-Thorns - Nat Geo
Crown-of-Thorns starfish are stunning... but outbreaks can pose a huge threat to coral reefs. For Nat Geo, I explored the problems of these thorny predators and potential solutions.
Shark mortality - Live Science
Writing about the ocean isn't always enjoying learning cool things about fascinating animals. Sometimes (/often) we have to cover the dark / depressing side of the conservation picture. Like this piece I wrote for Live Science about a new study revealing shark mortality from fishing went UP despite anti-finning legislation. But I believe it is important to keep sharing these stories so we can inspire action.
Prickly sharks - Live Science
Ever heard of prickly sharks? You have now! For Live Science, I covered a study describing these rarely-seen sharks gathering near Panama. Enjoy!
Bull sharks - Live Science
Warming waters = more bull sharks (but don't worry, they're not interested in you!). More in my Live Science article on a new study from Alabama.
Shark graveyard - Live Science
The teeth "look like they just came out of the shark's mouth yesterday." Cool discoveries in a 325 million-year-old shark graveyard in Mammoth Cave. I wrote about the story for Live Science.
Slow down - National Geographic
North Atlantic right whales are having a bit of a **** time right now. There are fewer than 400 individuals left and speeding boats and fishing could wipe them out altogether. A sad but important story I wrote for Nat Geo.
Orcas ramming boats - Nat Geo
When Iberian orcas started ramming boats, scientists couldn't figure out why... until now. For National Geographic, I recently spoke to killer whale experts to find out what's really going on (and why negative media coverage around orcas isn't helpful).
Shark vs orca - Live Science
Think sharks are the ocean's apex predator? Maybe think again...? A single orca can take down a great white shark and rip out its liver (mmm... nutritious!). Really interesting one to write about for Live Science.
Dorado octopus - New Scientist
I love how much we're STILL discovering about the deep sea. For New Scientist, I covered the new discovery of at least four octopus species - so cool!
Manta ray meat – BBC Wildlife
Sadly, ocean writing isn’t all amazing animal encounters. This new report, which found manta and devil ray meat is consumed in over 35 countries, was a sad and shocking – but important – story to cover for BBC Wildlife.
Pacific sleeper shark – BBC Wildlife
OK, OK, so quite a lot of my stories do start with researchers dropping a camera into the deep sea and finding something amazing (but that’s because there’s so much amazing stuff down there, amirite?!). But here’s another one, for BBC Wildlife, with some epic shots inside a Pacific sleeper shark’s mouth.
Burping baby humpbacks – BBC Wildlife
Modern technology is helping us make so many new discoveries. Like this footage of a baby humpback whale burping, barking and snorting to tell mum it’s hungry. I wrote about it for BBC Wildlife.
Shark buddies - Nat Geo
When two juvenile sharks swam together for 4,000 miles, scientists started wondering what could be going on. Might they be... friends? No, say researchers, but in this Nat Geo article they filled me in on why this finding is so exciting.
Unusual mortality events - Nat Geo
What's going on with mass whale strandings? Could it be anything to do with offshore wind? I spoke to some scientists to find out for Nat Geo.
Whale disposal - BBC Wildlife
How do you dispose of a dead whale? Current options include exploding it (for real) or sending it to landfill. But scientists had the opportunity to track a carcass that they'd towed back out to sea - is this a better method? More in my article for BBC Wildlife Magazine.
Corals in hot water - Nat Geo
It's no secret that corals don't love hot waters. So what happens when the ocean creeps closer to the temperatures found in a hot tub? When the El Niño was confirmed for 2023, I spoke to some experts to find out for Nat Geo.
Tiger and mako sharks - Nat Geo
For this Nat Geo article, I covered attempts to record tiger sharks' bite force and mako sharks' speed. Plus, the article looks at why it's so important for us to learn more about these incredible predators.
Paternal squid - National Geographic
This article the first time I covered a new scientific paper for Nat Geo after the lead author approached me with their findings. And the study was super interesting: shedding new light onto the paternal care of bigfin reef squid.
Dolphin friendships - VICE
it's amazing how much we're still learning about the ocean. A while back, scientists discovered that bottlenose dolphins can recognise their friends through the taste of their urine. I found this a fascinating paper to write about for VICE. And, no, I'm not taking the p***!
Nurdle hunters - the Guardian
Sure, you're doing your bit by recycling but what about the plastic pollution being poured into the ocean BEFORE plastic is even made into any products? I wrote about nurdle pollution for The Guardian.
Heat resistant corals - Independent
Firstly, corals ARE animals (not plants or rocks). When I can't go diving to see coral reefs in real life, I love to write about them. This was an interesting piece looking at how heat resistant corals could help coral reefs in the face of a warming ocean.
Whale myths - National Geographic
Ever wondered what's in that spout that comes out of a whales' blowhole when the come to the surface? ???? It's not (just) water... This was one of my early articles for Nat Geo but still one I'm really fond of.
Swallowed by a whale - Nat Geo
Throwback to my first ever article with Nat Geo. Basically, I got really cross about a story going viral at the time where a fisherman had allegedly been swallowed by a humpback whale. Spoiler: he somehow ended up in its mouth, sure, but he wasn't 'swallowed'. So I chatted to a few scientists to get the lowdown on whether a whale could ever swallow a human. Enjoy!
Leaky shipwrecks - the Daily Beast
What's the scariest thing you can think of under the sea? Sharks? Sea monsters? Haunted pirate ships?! How about slowly degrading WWII shipwrecks that could be on the brink of leaking oil and devastating the ocean ecosystem? I wrote about these ticking time bombs a while back for the Daily Beast.
Galapagos whale sharks - Oceanographic
For Oceanographic, I covered the mysteries of pregnancy in the world's largest fish.
Jet propelled midwives - Diver
If the headline 'Meet the jet propelled midwives' isn't enough to intrigue you to read my old Diver article from 2019, I don't know what is!
Queen of Mantas - World Footprint
I've admired MMF's Andrea Marshall since I met her back in 2018 - if you haven't heard of Andrea, check out the documentary 'Queen of Mantas' or read about her incredible work to protect manta rays.
Whale sharks - Diver
Back in 2018, I wrote this piece exploring where the whale sharks are and how one woman is dedicating her life to protecting them. Fast forward to today and I'm still protecting the Madagascar Whale Shark Project Foundation (and Stella is still smashing it with her conservation work).
Freediving with sharks - Sidetracked
The cool thing about my work is that I get to chat to cool conservationists doing exciting things like freediving with sharks, which is exactly what I did for this Sidetracked magazine article.
Dolphins and manatees - Live Science
For Live Science, I covered a new study which documented dolphins acting 'like jerks' and attacking baby manatees. Yikes.
The Meg - Live Science
A new study suggested that the Meg may have been more slender than scientists previously thought and might not look like a mega great white. Could this be true? I looked into it for Live Science.
Baby shark - Live Science
In what's been described as one of the holy grails of shark science, researchers think they've finally seen a newborn great white for the first time. And I got to dive into it for Live Science.
New isopod - Live Science
Deep sea explorers discovered a weird new roly poly bug. It was white and see-through so they could even see its guts through its body. I love covering the deep sea so this was a fun one to write for Live Science.
Long-term ocean observation - EMBRC
I had a fascinating chat with Neil Davies about the need for long-term genomics observatories for EMBRC.
