Whales are one of nature's most magnificent aquatic animal groups. You can read about the haunting songs of humpback whales, squid-hunting sperm whales and the largest animals on Earth, blue whales. Live Science publishes the wildest whale facts and stories, whether it's baleen whales in a record-breaking feeding frenzy, the tragedy of a blue whale's daily intake of microplastics, or a sighting of a real-life Moby Dick, so our expert writers and editors will always have compelling news, articles and features about whales for you to explore.
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—Humpback whales: Facts about the singers of the sea
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Whales: Facts about the largest animals on Earth
Discover interesting facts about whales, how big they can get, and how they track down their prey.
'I thought I was dead': Terrifying video of humpback whale gobbling up kayaker explained
A humpback whale appeared to swallow then spit out a kayaker in a viral video filmed off the coast of Chile. But was he actually in any danger?
These endangered whales can live up to 150 years — twice as long as previously thought
Life expectancy prediction using data collected over four decades reveals southern right whales' exceptionally long lives — far longer than scientists previously thought.
Male humpback whale crossed 3 oceans for sex, inadvertently breaking distance record for species
A male humpback whale swam 8,106 miles (13,046 km) from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean, mingling with other whale populations and potentially having sex with them along the way.
Mysterious sound coming from the Mariana Trench has finally been explained
A new study has revealed the exact origin of the Pacific Ocean's mysterious "biotwang" noises, which were first detected by underwater surveys near the Mariana Trench in 2014.
Watch heartbreaking footage of humpback whale with missing tail in Washington state
Drone captures footage of a humpback whale missing its tail fluke — an injury suspected to be from long-term entanglement in fishing gear.
Ultra-rare whale never seen alive washes up on on New Zealand beach — and scientists could now dissect it for the 1st time
A beaked whale that recently washed up dead on a New Zealand beach likely belongs to the world's rarest cetacean species. If confirmed, researchers could dissect the species for the very first time.
Japan plans to commercially hunt vulnerable fin whales, enraging conservationists
Japan has announced plans to add fin whales — the second-largest animal on Earth — to its list of commercial whaling species, which currently includes Bryde's, sei and minke whales.
