Episode 12

What Makes Octopuses So Extraordinary? with Dr. Helen Scales | Cabin of Curiosities

Published on: 4th June, 2025

Welcome back to the Cabin of Curiosities! In this episode, Charlie dives beneath the surface of Tobago’s waters and discovers one of the ocean’s most remarkable creatures - the Caribbean reef octopus. She’s joined by Dr. Helen Scales: marine biologist, writer, and one of the most captivating ocean storytellers around. Helen explains how octopuses camouflage with stunning precision, how they think with their skin, and why these shape-shifting animals might be some of the cleverest creatures in the oceans.

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🐙 Read Helen's newest book What The Wild Sea Can Be

The series is hosted by Charlie Young.

Editing and sound design is by Ross Ramsey-Golding.

And our producer is Robert Wallace.

This series is brought to you by the generous funding of the Ocean Cruising Club and their 2024 Challenge Grant.

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About the Podcast

Voyage to the Wild
Sailing in search of extraordinary wildlife and the remarkable people working to protect it
Following in the footsteps of early naturalists, marine scientist and storyteller Charlie Young takes listeners on a journey to wild waters aboard her boat ‘Feral’ as she embarks on a purpose-driven voyage around the planet to uncover the greatest challenges facing the natural world, and tell its story. Part travelog, part natural history docuseries, Charlie shares live accounts in gripping detail of her adventures as she joins local experts, scientists and rangers in the field to meet weird and wonderful wildlife, and shares untold stories of wildlife crime, conflict and conservation.

About your host

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Charlie Young

Charlie is an award-winning marine scientist, presenter and avid sailor whose work has seen her invited to speak at events such as COP26 and the Blue Earth Summit. Fiercely passionate about human impacts on the ocean, Charlie's work has taken her around the globe to research and document threats from plastic pollution to climate change. Now living full-time at sea Charlie dedicates her life afloat to documenting wildlife and investigating environmental threats. Her mission? To get below the surface of the greatest challenges facing the natural world and tell its story.