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About Rachael Funnell

Rachael Funnell

Rachael Funnell

Senior Science Writer

About the Author

Rachael is a writer and zoologist with a degree from the University of Southampton, specializing in animal behavior, evolution, palaeontology, and the environment. As a producer for CURIOUS Live, IFLScience's virtual event, she has led engaging discussions on forensic pathology, taphonomy, entomology, and botany on the Death Stage, with further events scheduled for 2025. As co-editor of CURIOUS, IFLScience’s e-magazine, Rachael crafts travel features exploring the science behind Earth’s most fascinating habitats and landmarks, and dives into the latest sci-fi TV, films, and books. She is also a host on the Break It Down, We Have Questions, and The Big Questions podcasts, and produces and presents video content for YouTube and social media.

Read IFLScience Editorial Policy

ACADEMIC HISTORY

Southampton University, BSc Zoology , 2014

TIME AT IFLSCIENCE

2020 - PRESENT

3,155 PUBLISHED ARTICLES

LOCATION

London

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

AnimalsEvolutionPalaeontology Funerary practiceForensics
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Latest from Rachael Funnell

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Rare Footage Captures Arctic Bobtail Squid Swimming Somewhere It's Never Been Seen Before – Complete With 50-Strong Egg Sacthe squid is pinky purpleish in color, we see it next to some glowing laser dots

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Rare Footage Captures Arctic Bobtail Squid Swimming Somewhere It's Never Been Seen Before – Complete With 50-Strong Egg Sacthe squid is pinky purpleish in color, we see it next to some glowing laser dots
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Rare Footage Captures Arctic Bobtail Squid Swimming Somewhere It's Never Been Seen Before – Complete With 50-Strong Egg Sac

clock-iconJuly 25, 2026

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In 2005, Scientists Built A "Haunted" Room By Manipulating Electromagnetic Fields. Things Certainly Got Weird – But Not How You'd Thinka white room with plain walls

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In 2005, Scientists Built A "Haunted" Room By Manipulating Electromagnetic Fields. Things Certainly Got Weird – But Not How You'd Thinka white room with plain walls
technologypsychology

In 2005, Scientists Built A "Haunted" Room By Manipulating Electromagnetic Fields. Things Certainly Got Weird – But Not How You'd Think

clock-iconJuly 24, 2026
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Orcas Ram Sunfish So Hard They Explode “Into Thousands Of Pieces” And No, We’re Not Jokinga tryptic shows the orca swimming towards a dead sunfish being held by another orca, that orca lets go and the other one swims into it releasing lots of tissue, and in the final image there are flecks of sunfish everywhere as the orcas swim around casually

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Orcas Ram Sunfish So Hard They Explode “Into Thousands Of Pieces” And No, We’re Not Jokinga tryptic shows the orca swimming towards a dead sunfish being held by another orca, that orca lets go and the other one swims into it releasing lots of tissue, and in the final image there are flecks of sunfish everywhere as the orcas swim around casually
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Orcas Ram Sunfish So Hard They Explode “Into Thousands Of Pieces” And No, We’re Not Joking

clock-iconJuly 23, 2026
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The Cloaca – A Butthole That Does It All – Has Been Missing A Chapter In Its Evolution. This 294-Million-Year-Old Tailprint Could Change Thatthe clay-colored fossil shows the scale imprint of a cloaca in its center

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The Cloaca – A Butthole That Does It All – Has Been Missing A Chapter In Its Evolution. This 294-Million-Year-Old Tailprint Could Change Thatthe clay-colored fossil shows the scale imprint of a cloaca in its center
nature-iconPalaeontology

The Cloaca – A Butthole That Does It All – Has Been Missing A Chapter In Its Evolution. This 294-Million-Year-Old Tailprint Could Change That

clock-iconJuly 22, 2026

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How Do You Name A Species? A Palaeontologist With A Dinosaur Named After Him Spills The Beansa glass cabinet in a museum contains multiple taxidermy bird species

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How Do You Name A Species? A Palaeontologist With A Dinosaur Named After Him Spills The Beansa glass cabinet in a museum contains multiple taxidermy bird species
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How Do You Name A Species? A Palaeontologist With A Dinosaur Named After Him Spills The Beans

clock-iconJuly 22, 2026

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Pompeii: Archaeologist Reveals What Really Happened Following The 79 CE Eruption Of Vesuvius, One Of History’s Most Catastrophic Natural Disastersover the top of a house in ancient pompeii we see vesuvius erupting, huge ash cloud in the sky

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Pompeii: Archaeologist Reveals What Really Happened Following The 79 CE Eruption Of Vesuvius, One Of History’s Most Catastrophic Natural Disastersover the top of a house in ancient pompeii we see vesuvius erupting, huge ash cloud in the sky
Exclusive Interview
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Pompeii: Archaeologist Reveals What Really Happened Following The 79 CE Eruption Of Vesuvius, One Of History’s Most Catastrophic Natural Disasters

clock-iconJuly 21, 2026
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In 1961, Scientists Began Exploring Uncharted Caves In Borneo. The "Howling" Mountain Revealed A Hidden World Beneath The Rainforestlight floods through the large mouth of deer cave, with a cavernously high ceiling that makes a human look like an ant

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In 1961, Scientists Began Exploring Uncharted Caves In Borneo. The "Howling" Mountain Revealed A Hidden World Beneath The Rainforestlight floods through the large mouth of deer cave, with a cavernously high ceiling that makes a human look like an ant
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In 1961, Scientists Began Exploring Uncharted Caves In Borneo. The "Howling" Mountain Revealed A Hidden World Beneath The Rainforest

clock-iconJuly 17, 2026

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$50 Million Dinosaur Sale Smashes Auction Record. Three Palaeontologists Told Us Why That’s Potentially Catastrophic For Science And Educationside profile of gus the t rex mounted in a predatory position with tail out and mouth open

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$50 Million Dinosaur Sale Smashes Auction Record. Three Palaeontologists Told Us Why That’s Potentially Catastrophic For Science And Educationside profile of gus the t rex mounted in a predatory position with tail out and mouth open
nature-iconPalaeontology

$50 Million Dinosaur Sale Smashes Auction Record. Three Palaeontologists Told Us Why That’s Potentially Catastrophic For Science And Education

clock-iconJuly 16, 2026
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How Do You Name A New Species? | IFLScience The Big QuestionsA picture of a museum cabinet displaying birds, with a mobile phone overlaid showing on the screen the logo for The Big Questions.

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How Do You Name A New Species? | IFLScience The Big QuestionsA picture of a museum cabinet displaying birds, with a mobile phone overlaid showing on the screen the logo for The Big Questions.
Podcast
Podcast - The Big Questions
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How Do You Name A New Species? | IFLScience The Big Questions

clock-iconJuly 16, 2026

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What Would Happen If We Just Left Forests Alone? Just Ask Białowieża, Europe’s Best Preserved Primeval ForestNatural coniferous stand of Bialowieza Forest Landscape Reserve in morning with sunlight entering

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What Would Happen If We Just Left Forests Alone? Just Ask Białowieża, Europe’s Best Preserved Primeval ForestNatural coniferous stand of Bialowieza Forest Landscape Reserve in morning with sunlight entering
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What Would Happen If We Just Left Forests Alone? Just Ask Białowieża, Europe’s Best Preserved Primeval Forest

clock-iconJuly 15, 2026
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Rare Iridescence Discovered In A Frog. Its Shiny Blue Hot Pants May Dazzle Predators As A Form Of Defensetwo images of a frog's behind show its legs are sparkly blue on the inside thigh and pea-green on the outside

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Rare Iridescence Discovered In A Frog. Its Shiny Blue Hot Pants May Dazzle Predators As A Form Of Defensetwo images of a frog's behind show its legs are sparkly blue on the inside thigh and pea-green on the outside
nature-iconanimals

Rare Iridescence Discovered In A Frog. Its Shiny Blue Hot Pants May Dazzle Predators As A Form Of Defense

clock-iconJuly 14, 2026

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How The Anus May Have Triggered The World’s First Mass Extinction Event And Other “Evolution” Wisdom With Chris Packhamchris packham holds the replica skull of Simocetus rayi, an ancient early toothed whale.

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How The Anus May Have Triggered The World’s First Mass Extinction Event And Other “Evolution” Wisdom With Chris Packhamchris packham holds the replica skull of Simocetus rayi, an ancient early toothed whale.
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How The Anus May Have Triggered The World’s First Mass Extinction Event And Other “Evolution” Wisdom With Chris Packham

clock-iconJuly 13, 2026

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How Fast Are Spiders? Scientists Got 258 To Race. The Fastest Could Outrun A Humana wolf spider walking across a stone floor

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How Fast Are Spiders? Scientists Got 258 To Race. The Fastest Could Outrun A Humana wolf spider walking across a stone floor
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How Fast Are Spiders? Scientists Got 258 To Race. The Fastest Could Outrun A Human

clock-iconJuly 8, 2026

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This Astonishing Medical Image Shows Why You Should Wear Sunscreen On Your Neck: Decades Of UV DamageWomen sunbathe on beach, sun block

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This Astonishing Medical Image Shows Why You Should Wear Sunscreen On Your Neck: Decades Of UV DamageWomen sunbathe on beach, sun block
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This Astonishing Medical Image Shows Why You Should Wear Sunscreen On Your Neck: Decades Of UV Damage

clock-iconJune 29, 2026

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2,300 Species Protected Under US Endangered Species Act To Be Biobanked, Becoming A “Modern-Day Noah’s Ark” On Icematt james stands in front of a frozen storage system containing animal cells

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2,300 Species Protected Under US Endangered Species Act To Be Biobanked, Becoming A “Modern-Day Noah’s Ark” On Icematt james stands in front of a frozen storage system containing animal cells
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2,300 Species Protected Under US Endangered Species Act To Be Biobanked, Becoming A “Modern-Day Noah’s Ark” On Ice

clock-iconJune 25, 2026