Why Are Whales Big (But Not Bigger)?

The idea of General George Custer's deadly military blunder being a heroic last stand was constructed over decades to encourage U.S. colonization of the West. Learn how Anheuser-Busch helped in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://history.howstuffworks.com/a ...  Show more

When organisms like fireflies, fungi, and fish glow with cold light, there's chemistry at work. Learn what we know (and don't know!) about bioluminescence -- including how humans are harnessing it -- in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffwo ...  Show more

In our most recent episode, we answered questions about  really big animals: whales!

We covered a lot when it comes to these huge aquatic mammals but there was one big topic we didn't get to: and that's how whales communicate.  We'll learn more about the sounds whales ...

Whales are more than just beautiful creatures — they play a vital role in the ocean's ecosystem. Today, Asha de Vos, marine biologist and pioneer of long-term blue whale research within the Northern Indian Ocean, explains why protecting whales is crucial for protecting the entire ...  Show more

Every year, thousands of marine mammals end up trapped on beaches, but it’s often hard to figure out why. It’s even harder to figure out how much humans are to blame. For more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainable It’s a great place to sign up for our newsletter, view show transcri ...  Show more

The gargantuan black holes at the centers of galaxies seem impossibly large. How did they grow so large in the short history of our Universe?