Bryony Cottam

Bryony grew up in a small town in the West Midlands where she spent much of her time dreaming of being anywhere else. After spending time in Canada, Russia, Morocco and France, she eventually returned to the UK to pursue a career in journalism. She wrote about sustainable tourism for Responsible Travel before joining Geographical in 2021. Bryony’s covered the dugout canoe culture in Estonia; regenerative seaweed farming in Wales; ground-breaking earthquake research in Turkey; and adaptation and mitigation responses to climate change in countries around the world. She writes the weekly Geographical newsletter and co-edits the monthly podcast. 


Is synthetic biology the way forward for a better planet?

Is synthetic biology the way forward for a better planet?

Nov 18, 2025
Discover how synthetic biology is shaping the future of disease control with genetically modified mosquitoes from Target Malaria.
Romania has seen a dramatic growth in brown bear populations in recent years

We’re going on a bear hunt in Romania

Nov 17, 2025

From the quiet woods of Zabola to the high ridges of the Făgăraș Mountains, Bryony Cottam traces Romania’s tangled relationship…

UK braces for ‘cannibal’ solar storm that could disrupt GPS systems

UK braces for ‘cannibal’ solar storm that could disrupt GPS systems

Nov 12, 2025
Intense geomagnetic activity from the cannibal solar storm could threaten critical UK communications and satellite orbits
Travel tips from landscape artist Tony Foster

Travel tips from landscape artist Tony Foster

Nov 7, 2025
Explore essential travel tips for sustainable journeys. Watercolour artist Tony Foster on why he paints in the wild
Scalloped hammerheads gather in the region feasting on the profusion of small fish

In the Gulf of Panama, an ancient ocean cycle just failed

Oct 29, 2025
For the first time on record, the cold, nutrient- rich waters that sustain an entire ecosystem failed to surface in the Gulf of Panama
The vast Grasberg gold and copper mine

Britain’s hidden hand in West Papua’s crisis

Oct 23, 2025
A new report links some of Britain’s biggest financial institutions and energy firms to deforestation, displacement and human rights abuses in Western New Guinea
Paul Rose preparing for Arctic dive

Travel insights from expedition leader Paul Rose

Oct 14, 2025

Expedition leader Paul Rose shares how science, logistics and adventure come together on some of the world’s most ambitious explorations…

What we learned from Jane Goodall

What we learned from Jane Goodall

Oct 3, 2025
The legacy of Jane Goodall: The scientist and environmental advocate who redefined our understanding of humanity’s closest relatives
Ukraine with crop wheat

How has the war impacted Ukraine’s agriculture?

Oct 2, 2025
Discover how AI is being utilised to reveal the full scale of war on Ukraine's agricultural sector
Gunma, a typical small Japanese rural town that has seen a dramatic population decline

Depopulation is reshaping Japan’s countryside and threatening biodiversity

Sep 26, 2025
Study finds Japan’s abandoned land is harming wildlife instead of helping it
Oculi Mundi: the stories behind the maps

Oculi Mundi: the stories behind the maps

Sep 23, 2025
A digital journey through The Sunderland Collection, a treasure trove of terrestrial and celestial maps and atlases
Ozone layer remains on track to recovery in coming decades

Ozone layer remains on track to recovery in coming decades

Sep 16, 2025
A new report confirms that concerted global action, driven by science, has put the Earth's ozone layer on the path to recovery
Load More