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26 results for "whales"
Scientists just pulled off one of Victoria's most complicated fossil extractions, recovering a remarkably rare 21-million-year-old whale skeleton that could unlock secrets about how whales evolved. The discovery at Ocean Grove beach is one of very few windows into a crucial but mysterious chapter in Earth's history.
New Zealand lawmakers just introduced groundbreaking legislation that would recognize whales as legal persons with rights to migrate freely, maintain their culture, and live in healthy habitats. The bill honors an Indigenous treaty signed by Pacific leaders before Māori King Tūheitia's death in 2024.
A haunting whale song from 1949 has been rediscovered in Massachusetts archives, offering scientists a rare window into ocean life before modern pollution changed everything. The recording captures a humpback whale when fewer than 1,000 remained in the North Atlantic.
Researchers studying stranded pygmy sperm whales off Florida's coast discovered three never-before-seen bacteria types, opening a window into the hidden health of one of the ocean's most mysterious creatures. The 20-year study reveals how much we still don't know about life beneath the waves.
Scientists in Indonesia used a drone to tag an endangered pygmy blue whale for the first time, revealing a previously unknown migration path between Indonesia and Australia. The breakthrough method is safer for whales and could transform how we protect these ocean giants.
Researchers hunting for Alaska's last mammoths made an unexpected discovery that turned into a delightful scientific mystery. Two "mammoth" bones collected in the 1950s turned out to be whales found hundreds of miles from any ocean.
Scientists turned underwater internet cables into a massive microphone to listen for endangered whales. The breakthrough could protect threatened marine mammals across 870,000 miles of ocean floor.
Scientists studying whales in the North Atlantic found that levels of toxic "forever chemicals" have plummeted more than 60% since 2011, proving that global regulations can actually reverse pollution in even the most remote ocean waters. It's the first major evidence that phasing out these indestructible compounds really works.
These 40-ton giants migrate thousands of miles each year, performing jaw-dropping breaches and bubble-net feeding displays that remind us why protecting our oceans matters. After nearly being wiped out by whaling, humpback populations are bouncing back thanks to conservation efforts.
When 90 critically endangered North Atlantic right whales appeared unexpectedly off New Hampshire's coast, Maine lobstermen made a choice that saved lives. They voluntarily pulled their fishing lines to protect the whales, proving that fishermen and conservationists can work together.
Indigenous leaders across Polynesia just made history by declaring whales legal persons with their own rights. The groundbreaking treaty could reshape how the world protects oceans and honors Indigenous wisdom.
The global ban on commercial whaling just hit its 40th anniversary, and it's credited with saving Earth's largest creatures from disappearing forever. What started as a "whaler's club" of 14 nations has grown into a worldwide conservation force of 88 countries protecting whales and dolphins.
North Atlantic pilot whales have 60% less toxic PFAS in their bodies than a decade ago, proving chemical regulations actually work. The decade-long cleanup shows the ocean can heal when we act.
Global shipping regulators just approved new guidance to reduce underwater noise threatening narwhals and other Arctic whales. Simple fixes like slower speeds and cleaner hulls could cut noise pollution nearly in half while saving fuel.
Scientists spotted a record 33 critically endangered North Atlantic right whales during a single flight over Cape Cod, the most ever documented in January. With only 384 of these giants left on Earth, the sighting represents more than 8% of the entire population in one place.
Ancient whale bone harpoons discovered in Brazilian museum collections prove indigenous people were hunting massive whales 5,000 years ago using just wooden rafts and bone tools. The discovery doubles the known timeline of human whaling and reveals sophisticated ocean knowledge that existed millennia before modern technology.
North Atlantic right whales are having their best calving season in decades, with 21 babies documented so far. Among them is Callosity Back's first calf, a whale researcher Julie Albert waited 19 years to see.
Scientists are using satellites, drones, robots, and artificial intelligence to monitor endangered ocean species in real time. This technology is transforming marine conservation by tracking whales, turtles, and seals in areas too remote or dangerous for humans to reach. --- ##
A 27-year study reveals that three whale species in the Gulf of St. Lawrence are sharing resources and adapting their diets as climate change reduces their traditional food sources. The finding offers hope that these gentle giants can adjust to our changing oceans.
Indigenous people in Brazil were hunting whales 5,000 years ago, making these newly discovered harpoons some of the oldest in the world. The find rewrites what we thought we knew about prehistoric whaling traditions.
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