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.
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Melissa Smith Articles
At least 539 manatees died in Florida waters by mid-March, only 100 shy of the number that died in 2020. Cold water and lack of food availability are among the potential causes.
The bioluminescent species include the blackbelly lanternshark, southern lanternshark and the kitefin shark, the largest luminous vertebrate ever discovered.
The seafloor search for DDT barrels off the coast of California comes after the *LA Times* exposed an old chemical dumping ground in late 2020.
Great places to scuba in California, Oregon and Washington during a drive-and-dive trip.
Young coral colonies are proliferating and fish are returning four years after history’s strongest cyclone, according to dive surveys recently conducted by the Wildlife Conservation Society.
What dive travelers need to know about COVID-19 vaccine requirements and travel restrictions for liveaboards and popular scuba diving destinations.
More than 1,000 tons of black tar has washed up on Israel’s coastline from Libyan-owned tanker that was spilling the crude oil into the Mediterranean Sea.
Divers discovered the wreckage of *The Providenz*, a 300-year-old Irish ship ran aground by a drunken crew, off the coast of Mandal, Norway.
Recordings of fin whale songs let a scientist measure the thickness and compactness of layers of Earth’s crust up to about 10,000 feet below the seafloor.