Roman Goergen

About Me

I am a journalist, specializing in the fields of science, conservation, environmental issues, ecology, biology, technology, and innovation. After having lived in Southern Africa for more than a combined 13 years, I made the move to London in 2021. Here I continue  my coverage of African conservation efforts, while also exploring the scientific research conducted by academic institutions in my new host country.

My Work

Geographical •

Podcast: The problem with CITES

We take an in-depth look at CITES, the international convention designed to protect wildlife by monitoring and regulating wildlife trade

This month we revisit an article from the April issue of Geographical magazine. Journalist Roman Goergen speaks to experts and campaigners from both within and outside CITES to find out why the agreement is cracking under the pressure. He discovers a world of bitter disputes between countries and campaigners and a workforce dealing with an impossible workload.
Geographical •

Unravelling the mystery of the white truffle

For the first time, scientists have succeeded in cultivating the highly prized white truffle outside of its natural range

The white truffle is one of the most expensive and desired delicacies. A kilo of the highly aromatic and rare fungi can fetch as much as £9,000 at auction.

Unlike it’s close cousin the black or Périgord truffle (Tuber melanosporum), it isn’t commercially cultivated; it only grows wild in a few valleys in northern Italy and the Balkans. Scientists cracked the secret of culti
Geographical •

The future of desalination

The world’s drinking water supply is at risk and desalination plants are set to make more saltwater potable. But to make the process sustainable and affordable, new and improved technologies need to be further developed

It was the end of a fight that lasted for almost a decade. On 12 May 2022, the California Coastal Commission, which has a legal mandate to protect the coastline of the US state, voted to deny the building permit for a large seawater-desalination plant that was proposed to be ere
Observer •

Wildlife Poaching Police Just Got a New Weapon

The world’s first pocket-sized DNA sequencer, called the MinION, is exciting genetic researchers worldwide. The British biotech corporation Oxford Nanopore Technologies developed the 87-gram USB module, which can replace almost an entire laboratory. Its name refers to its minimal size, the ions that flow through it, as well as the producing company’s name.

The device is not only more compact than its lab cousins but, with a price tag of about $1,000, also more affordable and faster. It can iden

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