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
This ocean goliath has 9 brains, hunts sharks at night and can grow as long as a school bus
The largest specimen ever found reportedly measured 9.75m long and weighed 272kg. Here's everything you need to know about the giant Pacific octopus.
“Even here, at the edge of the world, the fingerprints of global warming are unmistakable”
Heard Island, one of the world's last pristine ecosystems, has lost a quarter of its glaciers since 1947, say researchers.
This swimming sea cucumber looks like nothing you’ve ever seen
Sea cucumbers usually live on the seafloor but might swim to avoid threats or find a mate.
"I didn’t know what I was looking at": drone films one of Earth's rarest and weirdest animals
The bizarre-looking wedgefish was one of several animals spotted swimming in a group through Shark Bay, says Wildlife videographer Jake Mason.
Watch this adorable baby squid tuck itself into the seabed
Hummingbird bobtail squid hide in the seabed during the daytime and have the cutest way of tucking themselves in.
“A huge moment”. Camera traps film baby beavers at Cornish rewilding site
Conservationists in Cornwall were excited to glimpse a beaver kit and believe its litter marks the first wild-born babies born at the Helman Tor rewilding site.
It's larger than a king-sized bed and its deadly venomous spine killed Steve Irwin – and is often found buried in the sand
All you ever need to know about the stingray
Underwater photographer films rarely seen creature slithering through the ocean in Mauritius
Ribbon eels are usually shy so photographer Ian Haggerty was delighted to enjoy the rare sight of one free-swimming, like a scarf blowing in the wind.
Bizarre animal spotted walking along Great Barrier Reef seabed
A diver filmed the strange marine creature during a research trip off the coast of Queensland, Australia.
Scuba diver films dazzling jellyfish in Thailand. What she spots attached to it amazes her even more
These tiny creatures sometimes use jellyfish as a means of transport, hitching a ride to get to where they need to go.
"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.
“Your heart starts to race”. Stunned diver captures footage of a huge, mesmerizing ocean creature, so rare they’re known as the 'unicorns of the sea'
Capturing footage of this rare ray is challenging – but not for the reason you might think
It's huge, crotchety, has a fondness for head butting, and is dangerous to humans – oh and can be found in BOTH rivers and oceans
All you need to know about the fearsome bull shark
Rare, astounding, deep-sea robot footage shows amazing mother squid carrying something very precious – something she won't let go of for months
Extraordinary footage of a mother squid carrying her eggs
“The equivalent of a single decker bus”: Researchers used drones to measure whales' weight during migration – and were stunned
Humpback whales lose 11,000 kilos of blubber during their migration, a new study has revealed
Blue, green and even gold – this shark uses crystals to change colour, new study finds
The secret to blue sharks' iconic hue is hidden in their scales – and they might even be able to change colour, say scientists.
“Huge numbers” of sharks seen circling remote island deep in Pacific Ocean – here's why there are so many
The incredible footage was captured in an enormous marine protected area, which allows sharks to thrive and keep the ocean healthy.
“This was a high-speed, high-stakes pursuit… the pace was relentless!" Divers spot rare manta ray chase at remote atoll
During courtship, manta rays perform elaborate mating trains where males chase the female in an intricate dance.
This striped beauty might be labelled one of the most dangerous fish in the sea to humans but in reality it's a little lazy and prefers to wait for an easier meal
These are one of the most easily recognisable and the most dangerous species of shark – but they are surprisingly lazy
Barely the size of a grape, it's able to take on the deadly Portuguese man o’war — and can deliver a painful sting to humans, causing nausea and vomiting
These tiny sea slugs float helplessly at the surface of the water – but when they find prey, they steal its venom and use it for themselves
'Never been found before’ – In one part of the world, the ocean is doing the opposite from everywhere else. Here’s why...
The cold blob – an area of cooling water in the Atlantic Ocean near Greenland – might be affected by the atmosphere as well as the ocean, scientists discover
Drone captures Greenland ice tearing open to reveal humungous animal beneath
The colossal marine creature can be seen breaking through the ice to take several breaths of air before returning to the deep.
"Raw and brutal": whale watchers look on astonished as orcas kill humpback whale in South Africa
Wildlife watchers saw the circle of life at its most brutal during South Africa’s sardine run when a pod of orcas killed a young humpback whale and ate its tongue.
"Feels like magic": the mind-bending videos helping scientists understand why corals bleach
The development of a new microscope is allowing experts to see what’s going on inside corals like never before – and it might help them understand bleaching.