Event Details

In partnership with Lancaster University, Litfest is delighted to welcome marine biologist and best-selling author Helen Scales to give the 2026 Lancaster Environment Lecture.

Drawing on her book What the Wild Sea Can Be, Helen Scales’ lecture, entitled ‘The Future of the World’s Ocean’, shows how a healthy ocean matters to us all, from the food we eat, to the weather we experience and the air we breathe. Yet the ocean is changing faster than any point in human history – hotter, more polluted, its vibrant life fading. Reflecting on more than twenty years of exploring the seas around Britain and further afield, Helen Scales sees there’s still much to fight for and good reason to be hopeful.

Helen's entertaining and accessible talk will last about 25 minutes, followed by a conversation with John Childs, Senior Lecturer at the Lancaster Environment Centre at Lancaster University, and will conclude with an extended audience Q&A, providing everyone with the chance to ask questions about the talk and about the science of oceans and marine life and their importance for understanding our world.

Tickets are free, but registration at The Dukes is required.