Melissa Smith is a senior editor for Scuba Diving. An avid writer, scuba diver, backpacker and all-around outdoor enthusiast, she holds degrees in journalism and sustainability studies from the University of Florida. Before joining Scuba Diving, Melissa worked as the executive editor of EcoWatch and as the communications manager of The Ocean Agency, a nonprofit featured in the Emmy award-winning documentary Chasing Coral. Her work and expertise have been featured in outlets such as USA Today, The Guardian, National Geographic, Climbing magazine and MarketWatch.
Back to Scuba Gear
Melissa Smith Articles
Ocean warming puts fish are at risk of becoming smaller due to the lower oxygen content of warm water, reports a new study.
Sea lions use their whiskers in “task-specific” ways, adjusting the specific way they’re moved depending on what they intend to discover about a particular object.
A Georgia-based scuba diver and YouTuber recently solved a 20-year cold case using just his dive gear, sonar and underwater exploration equipment.
During the study that led to this revelation, researchers looked at shark remains found in the scat of the leopard seals as well as visible signs of struggle on the seals’ bodies.
Portugal has created the largest marine protected area in Europe, a 1,034 square mile reserve around the Selvagens Islands, an Atlantic volcanic archipelago.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute filmed to giant phantom jellyfish — which has 10-foot arms — more than 3,000 feet deep off the California coast.
Fifty-one countries and the European Union have agreed on a two-year ban on the catch and retainment of shortfin makos.
Branching and boulder corals releasing billions of new coral larvae onto the Great Barrier Reef, which has battled bleaching in recent years.
Winter died at age 16 from a gastrointestinal issue was discovered only a week and a half before her death. Her life story inspired two family-friendly films.