With presenter and diver Miranda Krestovnikoff, author Tom Mustill, and scientists Miranda Lowe and David Curnick.

This event takes place in the British Library and will be simultaneously live streamed on the British Library platform. Tickets may be booked either to attend in person, or to watch on our platform (online) either live or within 48 hours on catch up. Viewing links will be sent out shortly before the event.

While oceans and seas cover over 70% of the planet’s surface, providing most of Earth’s living space, there is much that we do not know about life under the waters. Less than 10% of the ocean has been explored by humans. Teeming with weird and wonderful life forms – an estimated 80% of life on Earth can be found there – the ocean remains a deep and mysterious place.

Join our panel of experts: natural scientists, researchers and conservationists, for a dive into the deep as we explore life under the sea and why it needs our protection. 

This event accompanies the British Library’s exhibition Animals: Art, Science and Sound.

Half price tickets available for Members, Students, Under 26s and other concession groups. 

Miranda Krestovnikoff is a biologist, trained diver and resident wildlife expert on BBC One’s The One Show. She has presented natural history stories, ranging from robotic ants to rare dolphins and was one of the original members of the Coast team exploring Great Britain’s shoreline, revealing fascinating tales of marine life. Other recent credits include BBC Two’s Big British Wildlife Revival and guest appearances on Pointless Celebrities, Ready Steady Cook and Celebrity Masterchef. In 2010 Miranda co-presented the BBC Proms. She regularly writes articles on tourism and leisure for national newspapers and magazines and is the author of three books, Miranda Krestovnikoff’s Best British Beaches, Scuba Diving and her most recent book published in April 2019 The Sea.

Tom Mustill is a biologist turned filmmaker and writer, specialising in stories where people and nature meet. His first book, How To Speak Whale: A Voyage into the Future of Animal Communication was published in 2022. He has worked with David Attenborough, Greta Thunberg, Stephen Fry and has won over 30 international awards and been nominated for a Primetime Emmy. He directed the blockbuster Inside Nature’s Giants series which won a BAFTA, Royal Television Society and Broadcast award, as well as the ZSL Award for Communicating Zoology.

Miranda Lowe is a Principal Curator and museum scientist at the Natural History Museum, London. She cares for a plethora of historically important specimens from both the Challenger and Discovery oceanic expeditions. Miranda’s scientific expertise is in peracarid crustacea which includes crustaceans in marine, freshwater, and terrestrial habitats. She has presented lectures on curatorial research and popular science, appearing on shows such as the BBC Radio 4 series Natural Histories (2015) among others. In 2013 she was a finalist for the National Diversity Awards, receiving a Certificate of Excellence for her achievement.

David Curnick is a Research Fellow at the Institute of Zoology, Zoological of Society London and head of the Ocean Predator Laboratory. He holds a PhD in marine ecology from University College London, has 14 years’ experience in the field of marine conservation science and has published over 30 scientific papers. David is currently an associate editor at the Journal of Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation, on the management board for the Centre for Doctoral Training CDT on Sustainable Management of UK Marine Resources, and is marine lead on the Biome Health Project.

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