Jessica Byrne

Senior Writer & Media Coordinator London, UK

I’m Jessica (She/Her). Originally from Bermuda, I moved to London to get a Master’s degree in Media & Communications and now write for Thred to spread the word about positive social change, specifically ocean health and marine conservation. You can also find me dipping my toes into other subjects like pop culture, health, wellness, style, and beauty.  Follow me on Twitter, LinkedIn and drop me some ideas/feedback via email.

Hey there, I’m Jess.

You might think I’m crazy for choosing London over my beautiful island home Bermuda, but I’m a city girl at heart, feeling right at home wherever there’s no shortage of things to do and people to meet.

In my free time you can find me curating my endless number of Spotify playlists (and forcing them on my friends), watching football, documentaries, frequenting my favourite bars and restaurants, or ordering more books to add to my carefully curated shelf – from autobiographies to historical fiction, health and wellbeing, and popular culture.

After working for a couple years in Amsterdam, my love for telling a good story led me to join the team at Thred to spread the word about positive social change.

 

Latest Stories from Jessica

Explaining the ongoing protests at US universities

Explaining the ongoing protests at US universities

Students across the United States are calling for their universities to divest in firms that benefit from Israel’s occupation and war on Gaza. The movement has sparked questions about student safety and free speech during an especially politically charged time. Protests against the war in Gaza erupted on Columbia University's New York campus last week, with similar demonstrations taking place at other institutions across the United States. Students are urging their...

By London, UK
Exploring the irony of the Met Gala’s ‘Garden of Time’ theme

Exploring the irony of the Met Gala’s ‘Garden of Time’ theme

Drawing inspiration from a dystopian novel, this year’s Met Gala theme is either purposefully or unintentionally a huge nod to the state of our planet and society in the 21st century. On the first Monday of May, the annual Met Gala event – also known as the ‘Fashion Oscars’ – will return to New York City. This year’s theme is based on a book named The Garden of Time and is...

By London, UK
Sadiq Khan says the Thames River will be safe to swim in by 2034

Sadiq Khan says the Thames River will be safe to swim in by 2034

The Mayor of London has announced a decade-long plan to clean up the Thames River in hopes that city-dwellers will one day safely swim in its waters. Do you ever find yourself walking along Southbank on a hot summer’s day, wishing you could take a refreshing dip in the River Thames? No, me neither. Regardless, the capital’s Mayor Sadiq Khan has announced a new ‘moonshot plan’ to make London’s winding river...

By London, UK
Scientists use ‘coral IVF’ and recorded audio to repopulate dying reefs

Scientists use ‘coral IVF’ and recorded audio to repopulate dying reefs

In the latest development for coral reef restoration projects, scientists are experimenting with 'coral IVF' and audio recordings from thriving reefs to attract heat-resistant coral larvae to diminished marine areas. We’ve talked a lot about coral reefs on our website lately, and that’s because they’re essential to the health of our oceans as well as the stability of all life on our planet. Not to mention, it’s Earth Day. So...

By London, UK
Fake Botox is poisoning cosmetic patients across the United States

Fake Botox is poisoning cosmetic patients across the United States

Several people have reported negative health reactions after being injected with botulinum toxin in the US. It’s a worrying trend that emphasizes the importance of finding reputable clinicians before getting any type of cosmetic work done. A worrying trend is taking place across the US, raising the eyebrows of health officials and beauty practitioners alike. At least 19 people have reported serious health reactions after being injected with botulinum toxin (the...

By London, UK
Is Rihanna’s use of religious fashion as problematic as people think?

Is Rihanna’s use of religious fashion as problematic as people think?

Never shy of causing a stir, global superstar Rihanna has drawn criticism after dressing up as a nun in her latest cover shoot for Interview Magazine – but some argue that the offended are missing the point. Celebrities have been using religious symbolism in their work for decades and – despite frequent backlash from the public – it doesn’t seem to be slowing anytime soon. To list just a few examples,...

By London, UK
Creating deepfake porn is about to become illegal

Creating deepfake porn is about to become illegal

A new law will serve to protect the overwhelming majority of UK-based women who believe deepfake technology poses a serious threat to their safety. As the capabilities of Artificial Intelligence (AI) advance, people everywhere have raised concerns about how this technology will impact job security, education, and our everyday lives. Women, however, have become overwhelmingly concerned about how AI-generated content could impact their safety. A survey conducted by Glamour in collaboration with...

By London, UK
Cambodia’s reefs thrive as rest of the world’s corals bleach

Cambodia’s reefs thrive as rest of the world’s corals bleach

Marine biologists have just announced the fourth planet-wide coral bleaching event. Despite this devastating news, scientists are pleased to witness reefs off the coast of Cambodia thriving in warmer waters. Coral reefs are often considered one of nature’s most magnificent creations. They are colourful ecosystems bustling with life, leading them to be dubbed the ‘rainforests of the sea’. Despite offering a habitat, feeding ground, and breeding space for one-quarter of...

By London, UK
Greenpeace details plans for an ocean conservation hub in Bermuda

Greenpeace details plans for an ocean conservation hub in Bermuda

Next month, Greenpeace’s Arctic Sunrise will sail to Bermuda to conduct scientific research and document wildlife in the island’s surrounding ocean. The trip is part of a global initiative to promote the UN Global Ocean Treaty which was enacted last year. For two weeks in May, the global conservationist organisation Greenpeace will visit the island of Bermuda to conduct research and survey wildlife in the Sargasso Sea. The Sargasso Sea is...

By London, UK
Is popular music really getting worse with every new decade?

Is popular music really getting worse with every new decade?

While art is highly subjective, a new study suggests that popular music has gotten simpler and more repetitive over the past few decades. One sure-fire way to tell someone is getting ‘old’ is if they utter the all-too-familiar sentence: ‘Music these days is garbage.’ While this may seem like a matter of opinion (especially when you’re the person in possession of the aux), people indeed tend to say that the music...

By London, UK