Baby whales aren't very good at making various calls, but a new study shows that even adults continue to improve their calling techniques. Read the rest
Baby whales have to learn how to talk, too
Are solar storms causing whales to beach themselves?
A new study in the International Journal of Astrobiology posits that beached whales may sometimes be influenced by solar storms. Read the rest
First underwater video of True's beaked whales in the wild
True's beaked whales spend much of their time deep underwater, so much of what we know about the mysterious species comes from stranded corpses. That's why a live sighting of a pod including underwater footage is so remarkable. Read the rest
Unmanned craft finds naturally-occurring whale fall
What happens when a whale dies? It sinks to the ocean floor, creating a whale fall, which becomes a fantastical garden of biodiversity. EVNautilus stumbled on a naturally-occurring whale fall during a live feed, an exceedingly rare find. Read the rest
Humpback whales sure love ruining orcas' hunting
A paper published this summer looked into over 100 times humpbacks were observed disrupting orcas who are hunting, like these humpbacks trying to save a gray whale and calf. But why do they do it? Read the rest
Level cities with your strange squid song
Imagine that one day a giant squid materialized in the sky over a city, singing the song that will end the world. Imagine that you are that squid.
Video: Rare white humpback whale sighting
Humpback whales with albinism are extremely rare, so it was a real treat when one appeared off the coast of Australia this week. Read the rest
Anniversary of the Blue Whale at London's Natural History Museum
Like the T. rex skeleton at the American Museum of Natural History, the blue whale model at London's Natural History Museum is the institution's unofficial mascot. The life-sized model (28.3 meters long) is now 75 years old. New Scientist tells the story of its birth: Read the rest
Beautiful short film about decomposition of a whale carcass
When an animal as big as a whale dies, its body becomes a whole new ecosystem. One whale carcass can support other forms of life for 50-to-75 years—basically as long as the whale itself lived.
This gorgeous video (I am not kidding. You will not need a unicorn chaser.) illustrates how that cycle works, using paper cutouts and simple puppetry. It's mesmerizing and enlightening.
The video was made for a Radiolab episode about whale falls, and was put together by Sharon Shattuck and Flora Lichtman. Amazing work!
Thanks to Ferris Jabr
