211: Eating Underwater

Brain Junk

English - May 17, 2022 08:38 - 8 minutes - 6.67 MB - ★★★★★ - 33 ratings
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Previous Episode: 210: Ancient Prosthetic Eye

Next Episode: 212: Peanut Butter Diamonds

How do whales open their mouths to grab a mouthful of food without drowning?! Because it's not just krill that goes in, but hundreds of gallons of water. Amy digs into why. The adaptation is remarkable.

Check out Science News magazine for a cool diagram!

And here's my other (Amy's) sources:

EurekAlert Baleen Whales use "oral plug" to eat without drowning

Science Alert How Much Can a Great Whale Gulp

The Measure of Things This is my favorite place to go for size comparisons!