Sing Like Fish: Sound Underwater, Writing Science, and Publishing a Book in 2024

We humans tend to think that sound doesn’t really work well underwater, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth.

Animals from coral to fish, lobsters to shrimp to, yes, whales, use sound to eat, navigate, mate, and survive in aquatic environments. The scientific story of underwater bioacoustics is young, riddled with secret spy networks, Victorian gentleman scientists, humming fish, and ocean-spanning song. But it's a ripe story to be told. 

Amorina Kingdon set out to write her first book about all these wonders of sound underwater – on the eve of a global pandemic, in a crowded and shifting market.

In this talk, the Concordia alumna will discuss the story of her book: why this topic captured her imagination, why the time was right to tell this story, and what she wish she had known about book publishing before jumping in.

The talk will take place from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. with a reception afterwards where light refreshments will be served. The event is free, but registration is required as spots are limited. 

Reserve by emailing: cristina.sanza@concordia.ca

This keynote address is part of Projected Futures, an international graduate science journalism summer school in the Department of Journalism. 

About the speaker

Amorina Kingdon is a science writer living in Victoria, British Columbia. She is the author of Sing Like Fish: How Sound Rules Life Under Water (Crown, 2024). Previously, she was the staff writer for Hakai Magazine and a science writer with the University of Victoria. She also writes speculative fiction, hikes, and figure skates.