Great Whales Can Live a Lot Longer Than We Thought - If We Leave Them Alone (theguardian.com)
- Reference: 0175818011
- News link: https://science.slashdot.org/story/25/01/02/1755216/great-whales-can-live-a-lot-longer-than-we-thought---if-we-leave-them-alone
- Source link: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jan/02/great-whales-longevity-lifespans-centuries-hunting-study-finds
The findings support earlier evidence from Arctic bowhead whales, which can reach 200 years old. Scientists determined whale ages by analyzing earplugs from specimens caught by Japanese whalers in the 1970s, revealing some fin and blue whales lived to at least 114 years.
[1] https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adq3086
[2] https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jan/02/great-whales-longevity-lifespans-centuries-hunting-study-finds
Re: (Score:2)
Thing is, nobody likes whale meat in Japan. They just make it because they think it's their heritage to torture children with school lunches that have foul tasting canned whale meat.
Interesting (Score:2)
Oh great, their cells really must have interesting anti-cancer properties .. (as per Pete's paradox, though somewhat counteracted by their lower metabolic rate per kilogram). That means their immune system and/or their cells have very good anti-cancer properties. That's just the excuse Iceland, Norway, and Japan need. (Nevermind we can study it without killing them at all and certainly not en masse.)
Re: (Score:2)
*Peto's paradox
Re: (Score:1)
I honestly think it might have a lot to do with the average ambient temperature of their living environment. I've read that if you keep humans at 60 degrees it extends their lifespan, too.
Re: (Score:2)
Unsure how true the low ambient temp thing is, but I know that low ambient temps greatly cripples the antioxidant defense systems of mammals not adapted to it (Mice, humans)
Tissue levels of destructive oxidation products skyrockets after longterm exposure to cold.
Re: (Score:2)
"I've read that if you keep humans at 60 degrees it extends their lifespan, too."
And how is the research on Cryonic Suspension going? (Is that 60 degrees Kelvin, or Rankine?)
Re: (Score:3)
The Wales obviously aren't immune from cancer - both Kate and Charlie have been hospitalised for treatment.
I for one (Score:3)
Welcome our old whale overlords!
Earplugs (Score:2)
"Scientists determined whale ages by analyzing earplugs from specimens caught by Japanese whalers in the 1970s"
Back them they must have been wired earplugs, not wireless.
Re: (Score:2)
> "Scientists determined whale ages by analyzing earplugs from specimens caught by Japanese whalers in the 1970s"
> Back them they must have been wired earplugs, not wireless.
Earplugs, not earbuds. The whales were probably sticking them in their ears because of all the racket from military sonar. :-D
Re: (Score:2)
The whales were probably sticking them in their ears because of all the racket from military sonar. :-D
Or boats/ships in general. Covid showed [1]whales were less stressed [abc.net.au] because of the reduced shipping. Fewer ships means less noise to overcome when communicating. Not to mention a lesser chance of being run over by a ship/boat.
[1] https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-07-05/scientists-find-whales-were-happier-during-covid-pandemic/104055060
Re: (Score:2)
> Or boats/ships in general.
This is true. Washington State has revised their laws recently to require greater separation between orcas and (private) boaters. Due to the stress that engine and hull noise case them. But stand on the car deck bow end of a Washington State ferry underway and it sounds like repeated slamming the hull with sledgehammers. Wondering how this affects the orcas and what the state aims to do about it, their response is along the lines of "We don't give a f---."
Typical socialist attitude toward private collectiv
Re: (Score:2)
I wonder if they buy them on Amazon, like everyone else?
Re: (Score:2)
Mostly they find the ear buds that have fallen off when the whales bicycle through central park.