BBC Science Focus Magazine - Dr Helen Scales

Dr Helen Scales

Dr Helen Scales is a marine biologist, broadcaster and science writer. She is the author ofSpirals in TimeandThe Brilliant Abyss.

Beyond the abyss: What to expect when diving towards the ocean’s spectacular depths

If you dropped a single marble into the sea, how long would it take to reach the bottom? And what would it cross along the way? Follow the deep sea journey in this extract fromThe Brilliant Abyss.

How do sea turtles remember what beach they were born on?

Asked by: Seda Pirefendi

How does human noise affect ocean life?

We’ve teamed up with the folks behind BBC World Service’sCrowdScienceto answer your questions on one topic - this week it's all about how human noise affects ocean life.

Sea slugs |8 photos of the other-worldly creatures that live right here on Earth

Sea slugs sport some of nature’s most unreal adaptations, including solar-powered skin and disposable penises. Welcome to their weird world.

The technology solving the ocean's greatest mysteries

Earth’s biggest habitat is also the one that we know the least about. Now, a new wave (geddit) of innovators are engineering the technology that will help us find out more. Here’s what they are discovering.

Do fish ever get bored in fish tanks?

问:卢卡斯希德玛芝,北斯塔福德郡

How do octopuses move their limbs if they have no bones?

Asked by: Toby Graham, Shrewsbury

Do fish feel pain?

Asked by: Keith Anderson, Bradford

How we can save the oceans, and how they can save us

Here are some of the brightest and best initiatives that hope to safeguard our oceans’ future, and what we stand to lose if we fail to protect them.

How do fish know who they are?

Fish can recognise members of the same species and tell if other fish are siblings, but they probably can’t identify themselves.

What’s the difference between a shoal, a school and a pod?

Groups of aquatic life get classified depending on whether they are a single type or mixture of species, or whether they are fish or mammals.

Gotta scan 'em all |9 other-worldly CT scans of fish

An American researcher has embarked on a project to scan the inner structures of every species of fish known to science - all 33,000 of them. Here's what he's uncovered.

The Plastic Age |The Plastic Age

这s year we had an epiphany: our lives and the planet are literally filling up with plastic. Now that we’re starting to get a grip on the scale of the problem, what can we do about it?

What is a vampire squid?

Megalodon: The giant ancestor of today's sharks

Why being fish-shaped is the ultimate energy hack of the ocean

Why can’t marine animals survive in fresh water?

What is a wolf eel?

What is the difference between a squid and an octopus?

Underwater pharmacy: Meet the scientists raiding the ocean's medicine cabinet

The beautiful, intricate world of seashells

Octopuses: 8 incredible photos of these magnificent cephalopods

Mysteries of the deep sea: 5 burning questions about Earth's final frontier

Deep-sea mountains: Earth’s unexplored ecosystems that are teeming with life

Beyond the abyss: What to expect when diving towards the ocean’s spectacular depths

How do sea turtles remember what beach they were born on?

How does human noise affect ocean life?

Sea slugs |8 photos of the other-worldly creatures that live right here on Earth

The technology solving the ocean's greatest mysteries

Do fish ever get bored in fish tanks?

How do octopuses move their limbs if they have no bones?

Do fish feel pain?

How we can save the oceans, and how they can save us

How do fish know who they are?

What’s the difference between a shoal, a school and a pod?

Gotta scan 'em all |9 other-worldly CT scans of fish

The Plastic Age |The Plastic Age