Helen Pilcher
Science writer, presenter and performer.
Helen Pilcher is a tea-drinking, biscuit-nibbling science and comedy writer, with a PhD in cell biology. She contributes regularly to BBC Wildlife and BBC Science Focus, and has penned many popular science books. Life Changing: How Humans are Altering Life on Earth was The Times 2020 Science Book of the Year and was shortlisted for the Wainwright Prize for Writing on Global Conservation. Bring Back the King: The New Science of De-extinction was Radio 2’s Fact Not Fiction Book of the Week, and was described by comedian Sara Pasco as ‘science at its funniest.’ In other news, Helen is science advisor to the Beano, and owns a genetically-modified wolf called Higgs. Her favourite bird is the kakapo, her favourite moth is the Merveille du Jour and her favourite beverage is a warm, milky brew; no sugar.
Recent articles by Helen Pilcher
Scientists attached moss to the International Space Station. What happened next "genuinely astonished" them
The discovery could serve as a starting point for constructing ecosystems in extraterrestrial environments such as the Moon and Mars, say researchers
Do hibernating animals go to the loo?
20 meat-eating bats fitted with hi-tech backpacks. Scientists stunned to record them hunting like lions
The winged mammals use a ‘hang-and-wait’ strategy to successfully capture large prey, a new study finds.
Baboons filmed sharing meat like hunter-gather humans
The footage, captured in Senegal’s Niokolo Koba National Park as part of a study by the German Primate Center, shows Guinea baboons distributing meat in different ways.
The DNA fix that could stop extinction in its tracks – but should we use it just because we can?
Scientists are editing the DNA of wild animals, but should these species ever be released into nature?
Why researchers studied over 4,000 preserved songbirds from London’s Natural History Museum
Scientists wanted to find out why tropical songbirds are more colourful than their non-tropical counterparts – so delved into the Natural History Museum's collections
Whales speak in dialects and elephants have names for each other: The incredible secrets of animal language
From tweets to underwater songs, discover the astonishing ways animals use sound to survive and thrive
Why climate scientists spent 4 years tracking reindeer through Finland's northern wilderness
The researchers wanted to find out how the herbivores' grazing impacts the carbon cycle. Here's what they discovered
Scientists wore Dick Cheney masks and were mobbed by crows – here’s why
Researchers from the University of Washing found that crows would recognise and harass them – so they conducted an unusual experiment
This cutie is no more: This is the first-ever mammal wiped out by human-driven climate change
Snake Island, Anthrax Island and beyond: 9 deadly Islands you'd be a fool to visit...
When an island gets a dangerous-sounding nickname, such as Snake Island, Anthrax Island or Shark Island, you know it’s probably one to strike off the holiday list, says Helen Pilcher.
It contains the world’s deadliest snake and one of the only venomous mammals – so why does Australia have so much deadly wildlife?
Is the wildlife really more deadly 'down under'? Helen Pilcher takes a look at why Australia has so many dangerous animals
Megafish the size of grizzly bears. But now scientists say these giants of the Mekong River are shrinking – and they know why
Once weighing hundreds of kilograms, these enormous riverfish are decreasing in size, highlighting the need for enhanced protection.
From parasitic worms that attack their hosts with pinpoint accuracy to a sheepdog that walked over 230 miles home – these are nature's best navigators
Discover the animals that have an exceptional ability to navigate their way around the world
10 deadliest beaches in the world including Skeleton Coast – the world’s largest ‘ship graveyard'
Serpent eagles fight off toxic invasion on Japanese island in fascinating way - new study
Crested serpent eagles have evolved toxin resistance to invasive cane toads, say researchers.
Dogs take over a Californian beach for the World Dog Surfing Championships each year – but they’re not the only animals that surf
As the World Dog Surfing Championships take place at Linda Mar beach in California today, we look at other animals that let loose among the waves
Science may finally have discovered why humans are so good at drinking booze
Dietary habits of ancient great apes help to explain why humans are so good at metabolising alcohol, new study finds.
"Its mouth is actually bigger than its body": Meet the biggest mouths in the animal kingdom, including one that's 5m long, 4m high and 2.4m wide
Which animal has the biggest mouth? We take a look at the contenders
10 deadliest rivers in the world including a 'boiling river' that 'cooks' animals from the inside out
You don't want total a dip in these rivers
The world's weirdest lakes – including one that vanishes and one that contains a fluid that's not water...
From the deepest to the oldest, the deadliest to the smallest here are the weirdest lakes in the world
A chimp was adopted and taught sign language by humans in the 1960s – but it turns out that chimps already have their own 'language'
Are chimps capable of language? Helen Pilcher explores how they communicate with each other
10 deadliest lakes in the world, from a highly-lethal exploding one to a lake that turns animals to stone
You wouldn't want to take a dip in any of these deadly lakes...
Here's how deer meat could save Scotland's elusive capercaillie
In a new study, researchers say that 'diversionary feeding' reduces the chances of these iconic birds' eggs being eaten by predators.