How Sperm Whales Bend The Rules of Biology With Their Deep Sea Dives

During World War II, picture guides were even written <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidhambling/2021/04/14/u-boat-or-whale---secret-wwii-report-explains-the-difference/?sh=6cc868da18a8" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">on how to</a> distinguish the two. Fortunately, modern equipment has now spared these creatures from meeting this fate. But it highlights a whale’s presence as a true mammalian submarine and it is no coincidence that a sub’s design resembles a whale. The sperm whale’s capacity to dive deep is highly underappreciated and, I’d wager, would surprise Charles Darwin himself. “Piece of cake,” I thought. I was floating in the ocean near Bermuda, staring down through the clear azure waters, seeing brightly colored fish darting around among the small coral formations. There was a beautiful, bright shell on the sea floor about 25–35 meters below me. I decided to go for it. I was a Division 1 swimmer at the time. My lung capacity was superb. I could hold my breath for several minutes. So, naturally, I assumed this would be an easy get. <a href="https://medium.com/@seanjkernan/how-sperm-whales-bend-the-rules-of-biology-with-their-deep-sea-dives-89665ee00d1d">Read More</a>