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Melissa Smith

Melissa Smith

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.

Melissa Smith Articles

World’s Largest Coral Restoration Program Kicks Off With Hope Reef

The world's largest coral restoration project, Hope Reef in Indonesia, is a project of Mars Inc., which owns the cat food brand SHEBA®.

Two Florida Divers Discover Mammoth Bones from Ice Age

A portion of the Columbian Mammoth leg was recovered from the Peace River in Florida by two local fossil divers.

The Ultimate Southwest Scuba Road Trip

Scuba your way across Utah, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas in this week-long drive-and-dive.

Scientists Launch Groundbreaking Research Project to Decode Whale Language

Scientist are pairing decades of whale recordings with artificial intelligence in an effort to learn how to communicate with a group of sperm whales in Dominica.

The Ocean Cleanup Unveils Updated River Debris Extractor

The nonprofit aims to deploy 1,000 Interceptors in the next 5 years stem the flow of ocean pollution coming from rivers.

Micronesian Ph.D. Student Becomes First Pacific Islander to Reach Ocean’s Depths

Nicole Yamase, 29, is the third woman to make the 7-mile journey to the sea floor.

The Best Southeast USA Scuba Road Trip

Dive and dine your way across Georgia, Florida, and Alabama.

UK to Launch History’s Largest Underwater Monitoring System

The U.K will install cameras in 10 overseas territories for a four-month-long, roughly $3 million project to monitor more than 1 million square miles of sea with BRUVS. Data from the program will inform future conservation efforts.

Diver Discovers Fossilized Tooth of Prehistoric, 12-Foot-Tall Bear in River

A diver found the tooth of the extinct Giant Short-Faced Bear during a fossil dive in South Carolina’s Cooper River.