Dr Helen Scales
Dr Helen Scales is a marine biologist, broadcaster and science writer. She is the author of Spirals in Time and The Brilliant Abyss.
Recent articles by Dr Helen Scales
Does the deep sea have seasons?
A recent study has suggested that currents sweeping over the deep seabed are not steady and continuous, as previously thought
Nature's cutest maniac: Why this (very adorable) sea slug eats sunlight for breakfast
Get to know all about the Costasiella kuroshimae - the leaf sheep sea slug
What's the weirdest way fish mate?
Note to self: never date an anglerfish
This bizarre spiked mammal is basically a real-life Pokemon
I choose you, lowland streaked tenrec
This very goofy fish is a certified freak, according to science
The ocean sunfish is a funny-looking guy. But that isn't even the weirdest thing about him.
How do whales sing under the sea?
Whales are known for their musical talents, but how can that be possible under water?
How deep can a penguin dive?
Penguins are skilled divers, transitioning from land to water with smooth movements. But what's the deepest a penguin can actually dive?
How to pain-proof your back: Simple, surprising changes to relieve your aches
Back-pain is on the rise thanks to more sedentary lifestyles. So what is the best way to fight back?
Nature's weirdest: The black swallower fish
It's a plucky fish whose eyes are definitely not bigger than their stomach.
How cute are baby sharks in real life?
Doo doo doo, doo doo doo doo doo.
Nature's weirdest: The pigbutt worm
What an... urm... interesting creature.
Natures weirdest: The Portuguese Man O'War
You seriously don’t want to come across one of these while taking a dip.
How many tentacles does an octopus have?
Go on, count them...
Nature's weirdest: The Spanish Dancer
It feeds on marine snow – and has a see-through digestive tract.
World’s weirdest: Meet the Christmas tree worm, the creature covered in feeding tentacles
Meet the bizarre underwater worm that looks like a Christmas decoration and sees through its gills.
Inside the secret deep-sea oasis where 20,000 octopuses give birth
On the side of a hill 3000m beneath the surface of the Pacific Ocean, scientists have discovered the world's biggest octopus nursery.
The mysterious sex life of eels: How scientists finally unveiled their (truly bizarre) life cycle
Long, silvery and mysterious, these endangered fish make a big journey to reproduce.
How mating pufferfish created one of the ocean’s greatest mysteries
Mysterious 'crop circles' found on the seabed have been discovered to be a nest built by the most unlikely of creatures.
What is a vampire squid?
All you need to know about this mysterious, glowing creature from the deep.
Megalodon: The giant ancestor of today's sharks
Huge, terrifying and now with their own movie franchise. We give you the lowdown on one of the Earth's greatest ever apex predators.
Why being fish-shaped is the ultimate energy hack of the ocean
The classic fish-shaped body — a squashed teardrop with a pointed nose and tapered tail — has evolved time and again.
Why can’t marine animals survive in fresh water?
It's all down to osmosis.
What is a wolf eel?
This voracious eater is not actually an eel...
What is the difference between a squid and an octopus?
Octopuses and squid are close cousins with much in common.