Matthew Russell

Matthew Russell

Matthew Russell is a West Michigan native and with a background in journalism, data analysis, cartography and design thinking. He likes to learn new things and solve old problems whenever possible, and enjoys bicycling, spending time with his daughters, and coffee.

Articles by Matthew Russell

Narwhals swimming in the ocean, showcasing their distinctive tusks above the water.

Curious Narwhals Turn Surveillance Tools Into Targets Beneath the Ice

Narwhals are crashing into underwater listening devices again and again — hundreds of times — and scientists can’t yet explain why.

Curious Narwhals Turn Surveillance Tools Into Targets Beneath the Ice

Narwhals are crashing into underwater listening devices again and again — hundreds of times — and scientists can’t yet explain why.

Close-up of a ginkgo-toothed beaked whale swimming underwater, showcasing its distinctive spotted skin.

Scientists Capture First Living Glimpse of a Whale Once Known Only By Its Remains

For decades, the ginkgo-toothed beaked whale existed only as bones washed ashore. Then, off Baja California, two living whales surfaced beside a research vessel and changed everything.

Scientists Capture First Living Glimpse of a Whale Once Known Only By Its Remains

For decades, the ginkgo-toothed beaked whale existed only as bones washed ashore. Then, off Baja California, two living whales surfaced beside a research vessel and changed everything.

Group of sperm whales swimming together in deep blue ocean water near the surface.

Breakthrough Study Reveals Human-Like Voices Inside Sperm Whale Clicks

Scientists may have just unlocked one of the ocean’s biggest mysteries. New research reveals that sperm whales produce vowel-like sounds hidden inside their familiar clicks—patterns only heard after speeding up...

Breakthrough Study Reveals Human-Like Voices Inside Sperm Whale Clicks

Scientists may have just unlocked one of the ocean’s biggest mysteries. New research reveals that sperm whales produce vowel-like sounds hidden inside their familiar clicks—patterns only heard after speeding up...

Large group of wading birds gathered in a coastal wetland, feeding among patches of tall marsh grass in shallow water.

Trump Administration's New Environmental Plan Opens the Floodgates for Mass Wetland Destruction

A sweeping proposal from the Trump Administration could erase federal protections from more than 80 percent of America’s wetlands—waters that filter drinking supplies, cushion communities from floods, and anchor entire...

Trump Administration's New Environmental Plan Opens the Floodgates for Mass Wetland Destruction

A sweeping proposal from the Trump Administration could erase federal protections from more than 80 percent of America’s wetlands—waters that filter drinking supplies, cushion communities from floods, and anchor entire...

A sea turtle navigating through murky water filled with plastic bags, fragments, and floating litter.

Study Finds Sea Animals Face Lethal Risks From Shockingly Small Plastic Pieces

How much plastic does it take to kill a sea animal? New research delivers an answer that feels almost impossible to believe. Just six tiny pieces of rubber can doom...

Study Finds Sea Animals Face Lethal Risks From Shockingly Small Plastic Pieces

How much plastic does it take to kill a sea animal? New research delivers an answer that feels almost impossible to believe. Just six tiny pieces of rubber can doom...

A harbor seal’s head peeking above the surface of golden, sunlit water, staring directly at the camera.

Desperate Seal Leaps for Its Life, Landing in Photographer's Boat in Heart-Stopping Orca Chase

A harbor seal in Puget Sound made a split-second decision when a pod of hunting orcas closed in. What followed stunned even seasoned wildlife watchers.

Desperate Seal Leaps for Its Life, Landing in Photographer's Boat in Heart-Stopping Orca Chase

A harbor seal in Puget Sound made a split-second decision when a pod of hunting orcas closed in. What followed stunned even seasoned wildlife watchers.