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Receive a bi-monthly update from Jonathan on his popular books, including his best-selling What A Fish Knows, and his forthcoming book Beyond Tooth and Claw: Discovering Cooperation and Joy in the Wild (23 Feb 2027), plus exciting new scientific discoveries and eye-opening videos!

What A Fish Knows

What A Fish Knows

Do fishes think? Do they really have three-second memories? And can they recognize the humans who peer back at them from above the surface of the water?

The Use Of Animals In Higher Education

The Use Of Animals In Higher Education

From middle school to advanced veterinary and medical training, animals are still widely used for ethically dubious practices such as dissection and surgical training. This book examines problems with such use, and the benefits of humane alternatives.

Fish Sense (Picador Shorts)

Fish Sense (Picador Shorts)

“Fish Sense” is a Picador Short – A quirky, intimate, and eye-opening look into the ways of thinking like a fish.

No BullSh!t Vegan Podcast (October 2025)

No BullSh!t Vegan Podcast (October 2025)

My recent conversation with Karina Inkster on her No BullSh!t Vegan podcast. (October 2025) From the show notes: Biologist and bestselling author Dr. Jonathan Balcombe joins me to discuss fish sentience, the surprising intelligence of fishes, and what science reveals about how they think and feel. Jonathan holds a PhD […]

If animal dreams imply sentience, their emotions imply soul

If animal dreams imply sentience, their emotions imply soul

A study recently published in a prestigious journal reports a surprise finding: that jumping spiders twitch during sleep in a way that resembles what cats, dogs and other mammals do during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. The German researchers noticed eye movements happening at the same time as leg jerks, […]

Extreme longevity in fishes in “Nautilus magazine”

Extreme longevity in fishes in “Nautilus magazine”

On July 31, my mother celebrated her 88th birthday. Based on recent discoveries, it is quite possible—even likely—that a fish somewhere turned 88 on the same day. It could have been a snapper. In one study of 476 snappers of three species caught along the Western Australian coast and the […]

Jake And Ava — A Boy And A Fish

Jake And Ava — A Boy And A Fish

Recreation meets empathy in this charming and affecting tale of young Jake, who catches an archerfish called Ava on his first fishing trip.

Super Fly

Super Fly

Step aboard for an entertaining and informative romp through one of the most remarkable and successful groups of animals on earth.

The Lives Of Flies – New York Times

The Lives Of Flies – New York Times

The New York Times Book Review | Hosted by Pamela Paul | July 9, 2021

The Lives of Flies

Jonathan Balcombe talks about “Super Fly” and Marjorie Ingall discusses Holocaust literature for children

The subtitle of Jonathan Balcombe’s new book, “Super Fly: The Unexpected Lives of the World’s Most Successful Insects” leads to the first question on this week’s podcast. Why “successful”?

“Their diversity, for one,” Balcombe says. “There’s over 160,000 described species — and it’s important to add that qualifier, ‘described,’ because it’s estimated there may be about five times that many that are undescribed. Insects make up 80 percent of all animal species on the planet, so that says something right there about how incredibly successful they are, and flies are arguably the most species-rich subset of insects. It’s estimated there’s about 20 million flies on earth at any moment for every human who’s on the earth. And they occupy all seven continents.”

Marjorie Ingall visits the podcast this week to discuss her essay about why she finds it troubling that children’s literature focuses so relentlessly on the Holocaust.

To listen to the interview online at The New York Times ~ please click here.