whales

Captive Orca Whales Are So Bored They’re Destroying Their Teeth

An investigation into the oral health of captive orca whales is raising serious concerns about the health and welfare of these majestic creatures. Out of boredom and frustration, many of the whales turn to chewing on concrete and steel tank surfaces, causing wear and tear that leads to further problems. An international team of researchers…

Biology George Dvorsky Oct 12

‘There Are No Words’: Tourists Spot Hundreds of Polar Bears Swarming Whale Carcass in Siberia

There are around 26,000 polar bears on the planet out there doing their best as the ice caps melt. We’ve all seen the infamous starving polar bear picture, which has become a symbol (rightfully or not) of the impact of climate change on vulnerable species. But last week, instead of starvation came a story of…

Tech News Ryan F. Mandelbaum Sep 29

Endangered Right Whales Are Dying at a Terrifying Rate—Here’s How to Stop It

With only a few hundred individuals left, North Atlantic Right Whales are some of the most endangered whales in the world, and this summer, things took a turn for the worse. A series of strandings in eastern Canada and New England has resulted in the deaths of at least 14 whales, which is nearly 4%…

Earther David Shiffman Sep 27

Ancient, Sharp-Toothed Whales Are Upending Cetacean History

All living whales are descended from terrestrial mammals, but how these aquatic creatures evolved into giant filter-feeders remains a biological mystery. New research shows that ancient whales had razor-sharp teeth similar to land-based carnivores—an observation that’s upsetting a prevailing idea that ancient whales used their teeth for filter feeding. Whales equipped with bristle-like baleen structures…

Biology George Dvorsky Aug 30

Brutal Drone Footage Shows a Pod of Orcas Attacking a Minke Whale

As apex predators, orcas can prey on whichever marine animal they choose—large or small. During a recent expedition off the coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula, scientists captured rare footage of orcas attacking a 40-foot-long minke whale. Fair warning, people—this footage is graphic and disturbing. They’re called “killer whales” for a reason, and this clip is…

Sploid George Dvorsky Jul 7

Everything in the World Is Bad Except for These Whales Blowing Rainbows

Do you ever get sad? I mean, like, really sad about the state of the world? Earth can be a pretty depressing place to live these days. But if you ever need a pick-me-up, might I suggest watching some videos of whales blowing rainbows? Whales blowing rainbows ain’t so bad, is it? Look at that…

Sploid Matt Novak May 24

The Wild Reason Whales Got So Freakishly Big

Baleen whales (Mysticeti) are vacuums of the sea. The blue whale, which is one of 12 species of baleen whales, is the largest animal in the world—AKA the biggest sea vacuum. It fuels its 200-ton body by eating tiny crustaceans called krill, which get filtered through the blue whales’ baleen. New research suggests that over…

Tech News Rae Paoletta May 23

Baby Humpback Whales Whisper to Their Moms Because the Ocean Is Terrifying

The ocean is dark and full of terrors—including hungry orcas, and horny men looking to bang your mom, if you’re a baby humpback whale. And so, you keep your voice to a whisper to avoid these predatory eavesdroppers. That, at least, is the conclusion of a new study led by Danish and Australian researchers, who…

Biology Maddie Stone Apr 26

Japanese Fleet Slaughters 333 Whales in the Name of ‘Science’

In a disturbing repeat of last year, Japanese whalers returned to port Friday with the carcasses of 333 minke whales on board. Since 1986, a global moratorium has banned the hunting of whales, but Japan claims the killings are being done for “scientific research.” This is nothing new—Japan has been exploiting this scientific research loophole…

Tech News George Dvorsky Mar 31

Are Humpback Whales Plotting to Take Over the World?

Maybe you thought the apocalypse would come from a nuclear war or climate change or revolting sentient robots or something. But after reading about a strange new humpback whale behavior, you might want to add a cetacean coup to your list. Happy Friday. Researchers observed 22 instances of humpback whales gathering in never-before-seen groups of…

Tech News Ryan F. Mandelbaum Mar 10

This Is Our First Footage of One of the Most Elusive Whales on Earth

Sightings of True’s beaked whales are so rare that even the most devoted whale expert can go an entire career without ever seeing one in the wild. Researchers working near the Azores are now the first to ever capture underwater footage of these aquatic creatures in their natural habitat. The new footage, captured by a…

Tech News George Dvorsky Mar 7

Beached Whale Situation Gets Worse With Hundreds More Stranded Ashore

Early on Saturday, dozens of volunteers worked to refloat about 100 of the 40o whales that mysteriously beached themselves in New Zealand. But their rescue effort quickly escalated when 240 more were stranded. It’s all the more frustrating that no one is certain why this is happening. https://gizmodo.com/hundreds-of-whales-are-dead-following-a-horrific-mass-s-1792213145 On Thursday, more than 400 pilot whales…

Tech News Rhett Jones Feb 11

Hundreds of Whales Are Dead Following a Horrific Mass Stranding in New Zealand

In what’s considered the largest mass stranding in decades, over 400 pilot whales have beached themselves on a New Zealand shore. Hundreds of whales died overnight, and rescuers are now frantically working to save the dozens of remaining whales who are clinging to life. According to New Zealand’s Department of Conservation (DOC), 416 pilot whales…

Tech News George Dvorsky Feb 10

The World’s Largest Shark Had a Fatal Appetite For Dwarf Whales

Megalodon, the largest shark to have ever terrorized our planet’s oceans, may have gone extinct owing to its limited dietary preference for dwarf whales, according to new research. The megalodon, a fearsome aquatic predator measuring 52 feet (16 meters) long and boasting 10-foot-wide (3 meter) jaws, went extinct about 2.6 million years ago after a…

Tech News George Dvorsky Jan 12

We Finally Know Why Freaky Sounds Come From the Deepest Stretch of Ocean

During exploratory missions to the Mariana Trench in 2014 and 2015, scientists recorded mysterious sounds they dubbed the “Western Pacific Biotwang.” New research has exposed the cause of these eerie noises from the deep. The recurring noises are a weird mixture of the biological and the mechanical, leading to confusion over the likely cause. The…

Tech News George Dvorsky Dec 16

Diver Catches Once in a Lifetime Closeup Footage of a Whale Breach

The ocean’s already fraught with danger, the last thing you need while swimming is a massive humpback whale deciding it wants to leap out of the water a few feet from where you’re treading water. But that’s exactly what happened to Australian photographer Beau Pilgrim, who fortunately got the whole thing on video. To put…

Sploid Andrew Liszewski Oct 12

Desperate Whale Calf Tries to Free Its Mother From a Sandbank

Unbelievable footage from Australia shows a whale calf as it desperately tries to free its mother from a sandbank. The humpback whales were spotted near North Stradbroke Island, about an hour’s drive from Brisbane. The mother had swum on top of a sandbank and was unable to get free. Video footage of the scene shows…

Tech News George Dvorsky Oct 7

New Two-Lensed Camera Shows What It’s Like to Ride on the Back of Whale

Researchers from Stanford’s Hopkins Marine Station have developed a two-lensed camera that sticks to the backs of filter-feeding whales with suction cups. The new device has been used to capture unprecedented footage of whales in action, and it’s offering new insights into the feeding and swimming behaviors of these aquatic beasts. On the surface of…

Tech News George Dvorsky Sep 23

Spectacular Drone Footage of Three Curious Whales Checking Out a Boat

The talented pilots at Drones.nc had a whale-watching experience they’ll never forget. Not only did three massive humpback whales circle the boat they were on, they were also able to capture the experience from a DJI Inspire drone flying overhead recording glorious 4K footage. If you’ve ever thought about one day going on a whale-watching…

Sploid Andrew Liszewski Sep 6

Flying Humpback Whale Nearly Crushes Kayakers

Humpback whales, those 80,000-pound giants of the sea, might be the living embodiment nature’s majesty, but when one gets close enough to crush you, it’s like you’re in the middle of some Godzilla monster flick. Things start off mild, even serene, in this video. A kayaking adventure off the coast of British Columbia. Then things…

Sploid Darren Orf Aug 19

Captive Orca Whales Are So Bored They’re Destroying Their Teeth

‘There Are No Words’: Tourists Spot Hundreds of Polar Bears Swarming Whale Carcass in Siberia

Endangered Right Whales Are Dying at a Terrifying Rate—Here’s How to Stop It

Ancient, Sharp-Toothed Whales Are Upending Cetacean History

Brutal Drone Footage Shows a Pod of Orcas Attacking a Minke Whale

Everything in the World Is Bad Except for These Whales Blowing Rainbows

The Wild Reason Whales Got So Freakishly Big

Baby Humpback Whales Whisper to Their Moms Because the Ocean Is Terrifying

Japanese Fleet Slaughters 333 Whales in the Name of ‘Science’

Are Humpback Whales Plotting to Take Over the World?

This Is Our First Footage of One of the Most Elusive Whales on Earth

Beached Whale Situation Gets Worse With Hundreds More Stranded Ashore

Hundreds of Whales Are Dead Following a Horrific Mass Stranding in New Zealand

The World’s Largest Shark Had a Fatal Appetite For Dwarf Whales

We Finally Know Why Freaky Sounds Come From the Deepest Stretch of Ocean

Diver Catches Once in a Lifetime Closeup Footage of a Whale Breach

Desperate Whale Calf Tries to Free Its Mother From a Sandbank

New Two-Lensed Camera Shows What It’s Like to Ride on the Back of Whale

Spectacular Drone Footage of Three Curious Whales Checking Out a Boat

Flying Humpback Whale Nearly Crushes Kayakers

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