Most people who grew up in the 1990s remember Free Willy, the feel-good movie that convinced millions that a whale could gain freedom from captivity if only given the chance. For a generation, it ...

Bowhead whales can live over 200 years thanks to a protein that helps their cells repair DNA damage efficiently.

In a study published this week in the journal Nature, researchers found that the key to the whales’ lifespans is a ...

National Geographic ...

Dolphins exposed to cyanobacterial toxins show Alzheimer’s-like brain damage and disorientation, which may explain mysterious strandings.

The Antarctic blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus ssp. Intermedia) is the largest animal on the planet, but it is critically ...

Say, for instance, a whale’s suspected cause of death is a boat strike. Researchers will look out for bruises and cuts during ...

As humans age, we become more vulnerable to cancer and other diseases. Bowhead whales, however, can live for up to 200 years ...

A cold-activated protein that mends damaged DNA could play a part in keeping the bowhead whale in tip-top shape.

How bowhead whales live so long. Researchers have uncovered a protein that enhances DNA repair and might explai ...

A gene that helped bowheads adapt to frigid Arctic waters also granted them extraordinary longevity. Could it help aging ...

Mercado is a cognitive scientist and a 2023 fellow of the Guggenheim Foundation. He knows how certain sounds, such as whale ...