The discovery stands to change our understanding of the Roman fishing industry and the history of two endangered whale species.
Early baleen whales were fearsome predators with wicked teeth, but lost them entirely
Baleen, one surprising fossil suggests, evolved from gums rather than teeth.
Why whales are so big
Marine mammals are a strange bunch, and the sea is a very unforgiving environment.
Ancient whales had sharp predator teeth unlike today’s gentle giants
How baleen whale’s filter combs appeared is still an intriguing mystery.
A single ‘letter’ difference in their DNA made some whales huge, others sleek and predatory
That’s one really dramatic typo.
Ancient climate change turned whales into Earth’s largest organisms ever , study reports
Do you think they get self-conscious about their weight?
Ancient 36-million-year-old fossil helps track down how baleen whales lost their teeth
At some point, mysticetes decided to drop the hook and fish with a net. How did this all happen?
Scientists believe they’ve identified the source of the mysterious sound coming from the Mariana Trench
It’s a call unlike any other we’ve heard before.
Whales as Ecological Engineers
Given the sheer size of whales, it should be no surprise that they make some very important contributions to ecosystems.
Humpback whales bounce back from the brink of extinction
Humpback whales have made an epic return.
Whales mourn, and grieve, and feel the loss of a loved one — just like you or me
We all know the pain and harrowing loneliness of losing a loved one, and it seems whales do too.
Norway is now the world’s leading whaling nation
Norway is killing more whales than Japan and Iceland combined.
Japan resumes whaling despite international ban
The island nation has recently announced that it will resume whaling operations in the Antarctic Ocean with the purpose of collecting “scientific data.” The decision was met with outrage and heavy criticism by other countries and conservation groups.
Sperm whales clans have different dialects
A insightful incursion into the lives of sperm whales shows just how similar these gentle marine giants are to us. Not only do these highly social animals communicate through a language, made up of patterned sets of clicks called codas, but they also have dialects. These dialects may be unique to each clan of sperm whales, which may include thousands of individuals. Moreover, the language is learned and not inherently transmitted – a prime example of culture, if anything else.
Japan still wants to slaughter hundreds of whales “for science”
This Friday, the International Whaling Commission issued a report in which it states Japan has failed to provide any reasonable explanation for its mass killing of over 4,000 whales in the Antarctic for the past 12 years. The country says it’s hunting whales for research purposes, but clearly it’s all a front. A lame excuse. Unimpressed by the report, Japan officials claim there’s a debate and lack of consensus (not really), and even though it “acknowledges” the IWC position it will likely continue as before. In other words, they don’t care.
Whales and sharks sightings increase around NY waters, in response to cleaner waters
After cleaning the Hudson River, which spills into New York harbor, marine biologists report increased sightings of whales and sharks around the Big Apple’s waters. The cleaner waters now harbor more fish and nutrients, which in turn has led to a surge in numbers. Dolphins and seals are also on the rise. The Hudson River used to be filled with pollution
Navy admits training exercises will likely kill dolphins and whales in large numbers
According to a post in the Navy Times, training and testing will likely “inadvertently” kill hundreds of whales and dolphins and wound thousands in the next five years. Most of the damage will be done by explosives, though some might come from testing sonar or animals being hit by ships. Rear Adm. Kevin Slates, the Navy’s energy and environmental readiness
Whales suffer from sun burns too
Just like we get a tan and our skin gets darker in response to sunlight exposure, whales increase the pigment in their skin as well, but not only do they do this, they also accumulate damage to the cells in the skin as they get older, just like humans. “Whales can be thought of as the UV barometers of the
Whale fossil found at the San Diego zoo
Well this is definitely not your average fossil hunt, by any standards. The excavating team was doing it’s thing, just as in any other day, when they heard a weird scraping sound. Gino Calvano, a paleontologist at the San Diego Natural History Museum was nearby, heard the sound, and headed straight towards the point of interest. He looked at the
