Helen Scales – författare

The deep sea is the last, vast wilderness on the planet. This is the story of how we imagine, explore and exploit it. For centuries, myth-makers and storytellers have concocted imaginary monsters of the deep, and now scientists are looking there to find bizarre, unknown species, chemicals to make new medicines, and to gain a greater understanding of how this world of ours works. With an average depth of 12,000 feet and chasms that plunge much deeper, it forms a frontier for new discoveries. The Brilliant Abyss tells the story of our relationship with the deep sea – how we imagine, explore and exploit it. It captures the golden age of discovery we are currently in and looks back at the history of how we got here, while also looking forward to the unfolding new environmental disasters that are taking place miles beneath the waves, far beyond the public gaze. Throughout history, there have been two distinct groups of deep-sea explorers. Both have sought knowledge but with different and often conflicting ambitions in mind. Some people want to quench their curiosity; many more have been lured by the possibilities of commerce and profit. The tension between these two opposing sides is the theme that runs throughout the book, while readers are taken on a chronological journey through humanity’s developing relationship with the deep sea. The Brilliant Abyss ends by looking forwards to humanity’s advancing impacts on the deep, including mining and pollution and what we can do about them.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR NON-FICTIONLONGLISTED FOR THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE FOR NON-FICTIONNo matter where we live, 'we are all ocean people,' Helen Scales observes in her bracing yet hopeful exploration of the future of the ocean. Beginning with its fascinating deep history, Scales links past to present to show how prehistoric ocean ecology holds lessons for the ocean of today.In elegant, evocative prose, she takes us into the realms of animals that epitomize current increasingly challenging conditions, from emperor penguins to sharks and orcas. Yet despite these threats, many hopeful signs remain, in the form of highly protected reserves, the regeneration of seagrass meadows and giant kelp forests and efforts to protect coral reefs.Offering innovative ideas for protecting coastlines and cleaning the toxic seas, Scales insists we need more ethical and sustainable fisheries and must prevent the other existential threat of deep-sea mining. Inspiring us all to maintain a sense of awe and wonder at the majesty beneath the waves, she urges us to fight for the better future that still exists for the ocean.

Dive beneath the waves to meet 80 of the ocean's strangest and most surprising inhabitants.This beautifully illustrated aquatic world tour tells the fascinating stories of beguiling sea creatures and their ingenious feats of survival - from producing anti-freeze to enduring boiling temperatures - revealing the ways in which these seemingly remote creatures have shaped our own lives, whether through medicine, culture or folklore.Around the Ocean in 80 Fish and Other Sea Life is a timely and gorgeous celebration of our watery world and the marvellous creatures that call it home.

Turn any beach into a treasure hunt with this beautifully illustrated book packed with surprising and delightful wonders of nature Looking for seashells and learning their names is the perfect way to explore Britain’s coastline at leisure. It’s a nostalgic simple pleasure, and a way to discover some of nature’s most exquisite wonders. From the common cockle to the blue-rayed limpet, The Shell Spotter’s Guide covers the beautiful and surprising range of mussels, oysters, periwinkles, scallops, cowries and whelks found on our beaches.This beautifully illustrated book written by marine biologist Helen Scales is the perfect companion for all aspiring shell spotters.

An hourly guide that follows twenty-four mollusks to reveal the fascinating lives behind their shells.From morning to night and from the Arctic to the equator, snails, clams, and other shell-making mollusks have busy days. In this short book, acclaimed author and marine biologist Helen Scales shows readers exactly how these animals spend their time. Each chapter of Shell Day features a single mollusk during a single hour, highlighting twenty-four different species.Far in the north, the Svalbard archipelago lies deep in the darkness of the polar night. And yet, in what remains a scientific mystery, Iceland scallops continue their daily rhythms, closing and opening their fan-shaped shells using an internal clock. At noon, we observe a clam shell sitting still on the seabed of a sandy tropical lagoon. The two shells open slightly, and a pair of rounded eyes peep out. A small, rust-colored coconut octopus hiding inside lets the clam shells fall apart and gathers them up in her arms. This mollusk’s ancestors long ago lost the ability to produce their own shells, but the cephalopod is happy to use another animal’s castoff as a temporary home. At ten that night, we find ourselves in Southern France. A male moon snail uses his huge, fleshy foot like a plow as he digs down into the seabed in search of food. When the moon snail finds a cockle, he swiftly smothers it, then sets about drilling, aided by a daub of acidic slime. Cockles are tasty, but so are other moon snails, and his snacking has a cannibalistic flavor.For each chapter, illustrator and cartoonist Aaron John Gregory has depicted molluscan scenes with entrancing pen-and-ink drawings. Working together to narrate and illustrate these unique moments in time, Scales and Gregory have created an engaging read that is a perfect way to spend an hour or two—and a true gift for beachcombers, naturalists, or anyone eager to learn about the mollusks that make their favorite shells.

Discover the extraordinary ways the world's oceans and sea life are coming back from the brink and making remarkable recoveries in this stunning new 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle, with 20 uniquely shaped pieces that give a new twist to puzzling.Beautifully illustrated by Good Wives and Warriors and accompanied by a fold-out poster with text written by Dr Helen Scales, discover how humpback whale populations are thriving in the freezing seas of Alaska, and how elephant seals have recovered from 'extinction', with messages of hope and positive change from around the globe.Piece together this family puzzle, and slot in 20 uniquely shaped pieces which celebrate all the animals featured in the amazing stories of the natural world.A 1000-PIECE NATURE JIGSAW with 20 uniquely shaped pieces. Completed puzzle measures 485 x 680mm.DISCOVER REMARKABLE STORIES about the world's oceans and sea creatures on the fold-out poster.FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY from ages 6+.LAURENCE KING has been capturing imaginations and inspiring creativity in new and unexpected ways for over 30 years, with playful and eye-catching games, gifts and books.

Piece together flora and fauna from around the globe in this 1000-piece puzzle, with 20 specially shaped pieces. Vibrantly illustrated by Good Wives and Warriors and accompanied by a fold-out poster with text written by Dr Helen Scales. Discover the extraordinary ways the world's land dwelling wildlife are surviving and thriving, find out how the Voeltzkow species chameleon was lost in 1913 and rediscovered in 2018 and how action from conservationists is improving the tiger population, with messages of hope and positive change from around the world.A 1000-PIECE NATURE JIGSAW with 20 specially shaped pieces to slot in. Completed puzzle measures 485 x 680mm.DISCOVER REMARKABLE STORIES about the natural world and animals featured on the puzzle on the fold-out poster.FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY from ages 6+.LAURENCE KING has been capturing imaginations and inspiring creativity in new and unexpected ways for over 30 years, with playful and eye-catching games, gifts and books.

Part of the ALL-NEW LADYBIRD EXPERT SERIES- Why is it octopuses, and not octopi or octopodes?- How did octopuses evolve to be so clever?- How can octopuses see and speak with their skin? EXAMINE these crafty hunters of the seabed - shape-shifting, skin-signalling and using complex tools - their remarkable abilities are still being uncovered.BENDY BODIES, BIG BRAINSWritten by celebrated marine biologist and documentarian Helen Scales, Octopuses is an enthralling introduction to these utterly unique creatures, the myths and fiction they have inspired, and what they can tell us about the roots of intelligence.

The beautifully written story of shells and their makers, and our relationships with them.Seashells are the sculpted homes of a remarkable group of animals: the molluscs. These are some of the most ancient and successful animals on the planet.But watch out. Some molluscs can kill you if you eat them. Some will kill you if you stand too close. That hasn''t stopped people using shells in many ways over thousands of years. They became the first jewelry and oldest currencies; they''ve been used as potent symbols of sex and death, prestige and war, not to mention a nutritious (and tasty) source of food. Spirals in Time is an exuberant aquatic romp, revealing amazing tales of these undersea marvels. Helen Scales leads us on a journey into their realm, as she goes in search of everything from snails that ''fly'' underwater on tiny wings to octopuses accused of stealing shells and giant mussels with golden beards that were supposedly the source of Jason''s golden fleece, and learns how shells have been exchanged for human lives, tapped for mind-bending drugs and inspired advances in medical technology.Weaving through these stories are the remarkable animals that build them, creatures with fascinating tales to tell, a myriad of spiralling shells following just a few simple rules of mathematics and evolution. Shells are also bellwethers of our impact on the natural world. Some species have been overfished, others poisoned by polluted seas; perhaps most worryingly of all, molluscs are expected to fall victim to ocean acidification, a side-effect of climate change that may soon cause shells to simply melt away. But rather than dwelling on what we risk losing, Spirals in Time urges you to ponder how seashells can reconnect us with nature, and heal the rift between ourselves and the living world.

'A rewarding glimpse of another world' THE GUARDIANSeashells are the sculpted homes of a remarkable group of animals: the molluscs. These are some of the most ancient and successful animals on the planet, and they have fascinating tales to tell. Spirals in Time charts the course of shells through history, from the first jewelry and the oldest currencies through to their use as potent symbols of sex and death, prestige and war, not to mention a nutritious (and tasty) source of food. In this book, Helen Scales leads us on a journey into the realm of these undersea marvels. She goes in search of everything from snails that 'fly' underwater to octopuses accused of stealing shells and giant mussels with golden beards.Shells are also bellwethers of our impact on the natural world. The effects of overfishing and pollution are, of course, serious concerns, but perhaps more worrying is ocean acidification, which causes shells to simply melt away. Spirals in Time urges you to ponder how seashells can reconnect us with nature, and heal the rift between ourselves and the living world.One of the books of the year – Nature, Guardian, The Economist, The Times

'Scales's genuine appreciation and awe for fish are contagious.'- Science'Delightful' - New ScientistSeventy per cent of the earth's surface is covered by water. This vast aquatic realm is inhabited by a multitude of strange creatures and reigning supreme among them are the fish.There are giants that live for centuries and thumb-sized tiddlers that survive only weeks; they can be pancake-flat or inflatable balloons; they can shout with colours or hide in plain sight, cheat and dance, remember and say sorry; some rarely budge while others travel the globe restlessly. And yet the mesmerising and complex lives of fish remain largely underrated and unseen, living hidden beneath the waterline, out of sight and out of mind.Helen Scales is our guide on an underwater journey, as we fathom the depths and watch these animals going about the glorious business of being fish. As well as the fish, we meet devoted fishwatchers past and present, from voodoo zombie potion hunters and scientists who taught fish how to walk to nonagenarian explorers of the deep sea.Woven throughout are vignettes of Helen's own aquatic explorations, from eerie nighttime dives with glowing fish and up-close encounters with giant manta rays, to floating in the middle of a swirling shoal being watched by thousands of inquisitive eyes.As well as being a rich and entertaining read, this book will inspire readers to think again about these animals and the seas they inhabit, and to go out and appreciate the wonders of fish, whether through the glass walls of an aquarium or, better still, by gazing into the fishes’ wild world and swimming through it.'Engaging and informative' The Economist

''Scales''s genuine appreciation and awe for fish are contagious.''- Science''Delightful'' - New ScientistSeventy per cent of the earth''s surface is covered by water. This vast aquatic realm is inhabited by a multitude of strange creatures and reigning supreme among them are the fish.There are giants that live for centuries and thumb-sized tiddlers that survive only weeks; they can be pancake-flat or inflatable balloons; they can shout with colours or hide in plain sight, cheat and dance, remember and say sorry; some rarely budge while others travel the globe restlessly. And yet the mesmerising and complex lives of fish remain largely underrated and unseen, living hidden beneath the waterline, out of sight and out of mind.Helen Scales is our guide on an underwater journey, as we fathom the depths and watch these animals going about the glorious business of being fish. As well as the fish, we meet devoted fishwatchers past and present, from voodoo zombie potion hunters and scientists who taught fish how to walk to nonagenarian explorers of the deep sea.Woven throughout are vignettes of Helen''s own aquatic explorations, from eerie nighttime dives with glowing fish and up-close encounters with giant manta rays, to floating in the middle of a swirling shoal being watched by thousands of inquisitive eyes.As well as being a rich and entertaining read, this book will inspire readers to think again about these animals and the seas they inhabit, and to go out and appreciate the wonders of fish, whether through the glass walls of an aquarium or, better still, by gazing into the fishes'' wild world and swimming through it.''Engaging and informative'' The Economist

The deep sea is the last, vast wilderness on the planet. This is the story of our relationship with it – how we imagine, explore and exploit it.For centuries, myth-makers and storytellers have concocted imaginary monsters of the deep, and now scientists are looking there to find bizarre, unknown species, chemicals to make new medicines, and to gain a greater understanding of how this world of ours works. With an average depth of 12,000 feet and chasms that plunge much deeper, it forms a frontier for new discoveries. The Brilliant Abyss tells the story of our relationship with the deep sea – how we imagine, explore and exploit it. It captures the golden age of discovery we are currently in and looks back at the history of how we got here, while also looking forward to the unfolding new environmental disasters that are taking place miles beneath the waves, far beyond the public gaze. Throughout history, there have been two distinct groups of deep-sea explorers. Both have sought knowledge but with different and often conflicting ambitions in mind. Some people want to quench their curiosity; many more have been lured by the possibilities of commerce and profit. The tension between these two opposing sides is the theme that runs throughout the book, while readers are taken on a chronological journey through humanity''s developing relationship with the deep sea. The Brilliant Abyss ends by looking forwards to humanity''s advancing impacts on the deep, including mining and pollution and what we can do about them.

Discover the extraordinary ways nature has come back from the brink in this collection of 20 environmental success stories from around the world, written by Dr Helen Scales and beautifully illustrated by Good Wives and Warriors. From humpback whale populations thriving again in the freezing seas of Alaska and the recovery of kiwi populations in New Zealand, to the setting up of tiger sanctuaries and reserves in India and return of elephant seals from 'extinction', this book plants a message of hope and shows children that positive change is possible.As well as the 20 recovery stories, Return of the Wild teaches children about the different habitats that animals and plants around the world call home - oceans, forests, deserts and more - and introduces them to the real people supporting endangered species. Finishing off with small tips on what children at home can do to help the wild world, from wearing eco-friendly suncream while swimming in the sea to using less single use plastic, this book reassures children that there are many ways to protect and save our planet from environmental harm.

Learn about and colour in the extraordinary ways nature has come back from the brink in this collection of nature recovery stories from around the world. From the recovery of endangered kiwi populations in New Zealand and the setting up of tiger reserves in India, to rescuing the blue butterflies in the English countryside and replanting the seagrass meadows in North America, there's a world of hope to colour in and explore. Each story of environmental recovery is accompanied by a huge, detailed colouring page to keep you entertained for hours.Created by Helen Scales, marine biologist and writer, and Good Wives & Warriors, the internationally renowned duo of illustrators behind Mythopedia and Return of the Wild.

Discover an incredible world hidden beneath the waves with this beautiful encyclopedia of our oceans and the animals that live in and around them.Our planet's oceans are home to a breathtaking array of animals. From the neon squid that roam the open waters and the floating forests of the Sargasso Sea, to glow-in-the-dark sharks and the angel fish of the coral reefs, discover an underwater world teeming with life.Expertly written by marine biologist and author Dr Helen Scales and brought to vivid life with striking illustrations by Good Wives and Warriors (artists on Mythopedia and Dinopedia), this comprehensive encyclopedia includes a global collection of fascinating sea creatures. Dive in - you never know what you might discover...

A fascinating journey with the sea creature that has captured human imagination for thousands of years Poseidon's Steed trails the seahorse through secluded waters across the globe in a kaleidoscopic history that mirrors man's centuries-old fascination with the animal, sweeping from the reefs of Indonesia, through the back streets of Hong Kong, and back in time to ancient Greece and Rome. Over time, seahorses have surfaced in some unlikely places. We see them immortalized in the decorative arts; in tribal folklore, literature, and ancient myth; and even on the pages of the earliest medical texts, prescribed to treat everything from skin complaints to baldness to flagging libido. Marine biologist Helen Scales eloquently shows that seahorses are indeed fish, though scientists have long puzzled over their exotic anatomy, and their very strange sex lives—male seahorses are the only males in the animal world that experience childbirth! Our first seahorse imaginings appeared six thousand years ago on cave walls in Australia. The ancient Greeks called the seahorse hippocampus (half-horse, half-fish) and sent it galloping through the oceans of mythology, pulling the sea god Poseidon's golden chariot. The seahorse has even been the center of a modern-day international art scandal: A two-thousand-year-old winged seahorse brooch was plundered by Turkish tomb raiders and sold to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. A book that is as charming as the seahorse itself, Poseidon's Steed brings to life an aquatic treasure.Seahorses lead quiet lives, tucked away out of sight on the seafloor. It is rare to catch a glimpse of a seahorse in its natural habitat. But even if few have seen one live, these exotic, seemingly prehistoric creatures exist quite vividly in our imaginations and they have mesmerized scientists, artists, and storytellers throughout time with their otherworldly rarity. Poseidon's Steed is a sweeping journey that takes us from the coral reefs and seagrass meadows of Indonesia where many seahorses makes their natural habitat to the back streets of Hong Kong where a thriving black market seahorse trade is concealed. Throughout history, seahorses have surfaced in some unexpected places and Scales also follows the seahorse back in time, from our most rudimentary seahorse imaginings six thousand years ago on cave walls in Australia, to the myths of ancient Greece. Scientists have long puzzled over seahorses' unusual anatomy and their very strange sex lives. And male seahorses are the only males in the animal world that experience childbirth! Seahorses are not what scientists call a 'keystone' species. They rely on a healthy ocean to survive, but the marine ecosystem does not rely on them. But their delicate beauty reminds us that we rely on the seas not only to fill our dinner plates, but also to feed our imaginations.

The second in a series of books in association with the Royal Institution on their world-renowned Christmas Lectures, this time exploring the secrets of the natural world – with a foreword by Sir David Attenborough.Following on from the success of 13 Journeys Through Space and Time, which took us on a voyage of astronomical discovery through past Christmas Lectures given at the Royal Institution on space and space exploration, this book turns our attention to our own planet and the animals, plants, fish, insects and all the other living things that inhabit it – how they’ve evolved and the vital roles they play in the intricate webs of life on earth.Taking eleven of the most exciting and revealing Christmas Lectures on the natural world given at the Royal Institution, including Sir David Attenborough’s animal-packed Lectures from 1977 and Richard Dawkins’s explosive series on the evolution of life, we take an illuminating look at more than a hundred years of scientific exploration to discover the origins of life on our planet and the mysteries so far uncovered.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR NON-FICTIONLONGLISTED FOR THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE FOR NON-FICTIONNo matter where we live, 'we are all ocean people,' Helen Scales observes in her bracing yet hopeful exploration of the future of the ocean. Beginning with its fascinating deep history, Scales links past to present to show how prehistoric ocean ecology holds lessons for the ocean of today.In elegant, evocative prose, she takes us into the realms of animals that epitomize current increasingly challenging conditions, from emperor penguins to sharks and orcas. Yet despite these threats, many hopeful signs remain, in the form of highly protected reserves, the regeneration of seagrass meadows and giant kelp forests and efforts to protect coral reefs.Offering innovative ideas for protecting coastlines and cleaning the toxic seas, Scales insists we need more ethical and sustainable fisheries and must prevent the other existential threat of deep-sea mining. Inspiring us all to maintain a sense of awe and wonder at the majesty beneath the waves, she urges us to fight for the better future that still exists for the ocean.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR NON-FICTIONLONGLISTED FOR THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE FOR NON-FICTIONNo matter where we live, 'we are all ocean people,' Helen Scales observes in her bracing yet hopeful exploration of the future of the ocean. Beginning with its fascinating deep history, Scales links past to present to show how prehistoric ocean ecology holds lessons for the ocean of today.In elegant, evocative prose, she takes us into the realms of animals that epitomize current increasingly challenging conditions, from emperor penguins to sharks and orcas. Yet despite these threats, many hopeful signs remain, in the form of highly protected reserves, the regeneration of seagrass meadows and giant kelp forests and efforts to protect coral reefs.Offering innovative ideas for protecting coastlines and cleaning the toxic seas, Scales insists we need more ethical and sustainable fisheries and must prevent the other existential threat of deep-sea mining. Inspiring us all to maintain a sense of awe and wonder at the majesty beneath the waves, she urges us to fight for the better future that still exists for the ocean.

One of New Scientist’s Best Popular Science Books of 2025Artists have captured the marvels of ocean life throughout history. From fine art to scientific illustrations, these portrayals help us to appreciate and interpret the diversity of shapes, colours and patterns of the remarkable organisms that inhabit the oceans of the world.In Ocean Art, marine biologist and writer Helen Scales takes readers on a tour of ocean art, looking for the most striking and meaningful depictions of sea creatures, from ancient times to modern and from the coast to the deepest abyss, reflecting on how these works influence our view of life beneath the waves. This richly illustrated celebration of the beauty and wonders of ocean life is also a call to cherish and protect the endangered living seas.

'This wondrous compendium will enthrall beachcombers and landlubbers alike.' – The New York Times'For the beach-bound family … they may even end up knowing what they're finding when they're combing the sand.' – The Wall Street JournalA stunning, lavishly illustrated, and information-packed introduction to the wonder of shells through the art of observation - the perfect book for young explorers, collectors, and nature lovers everywhereAward-winning marine biologist Helen Scales introduces children to the wonders of shells (from seashells to land snails) through the art of observation. Using a friendly question-and-answer format, she explores, through a richly sensory experience, the incredible diversity of shells around the world and showcases the environments molluscs inhabit. From what a shell's shape, color, or texture can reveal about its inhabitant, to where shells are found (from the deepest seas to jungly treetops), with this book, readers can get up close with nature to observe its wonders.Ages 6-9

A richly illustrated, informative, and interactive introduction to shells for children aged 2-4, with over 40 flaps to lift and discoverIn this board book companion to What a Shell Can Tell, award-winning marine biologist and documentary maker, Helen Scales, introduces children ages 2-4 to the wonders of shells. With over 40 flaps to lift creating interactive opportunities on every page, stunningly lifelike illustrations, children are encouraged to observe, engage with, and understand a range of shells and environments. From where shells are found and who lives in them, to what a shell’s look and feel can reveal about its inhabitant and environment. The book expands on a child’s natural instinct for collecting things, nurturing their interest and curiosity in nature by giving them simple observation skills that will help them to explore the connections between objects found in nature and the wider ecosystem, as well as building their vocabulary. With a timely message of environmental stewardship combined with stunning illustrations, this book encourages children to explore and care about the world around them.Ages 2-4

Tasked with observing and protecting the islands' amazing wildlife, the scientists will track and study the animals and plants that are unique to this incredible archipelago.To get the job done they will climb volcanoes, get sneezed on by marine iguanas, watch dancing birds, launch a deep-diving submersible and explore the dazzling underwater wonders of Galápagos.