thephotosocietyのインスタグラム(thephotosociety) - 4月5日 09時55分

Photo: @Robert Clark | Whales are one of the most studied and least understood of all organisms. Indicative of many mammals, they are highly social animals possessing mammary glands, hair, and a neocortex not seen in other animals. The latter may be the reason that they have such developed language and community, but their inclusion in the the #Mammilia clade is an odd one in that they are water-borne, air-breathing animals. That is, in contrast to other water-faring species who can extract oxygen from water, they need to come up to the surface to breathe.

The physical features of whales also set them apart from other water-faring organisms. This pectoral fin of a humpback evolved distinct bumps all along it’s forward edge that allow the humpback to glide much more efficiently through water, meaning that the 30-50 tone hulk of a mammal is able to move in bursts up to 16mph when necessary.

These bumps have been appropriated by industrial designers for other purposes because of that exact efficiency. They have been implemented along the leading edge of prototype aircraft as well as the propellers of wind turbines, ensuring that they move through wind at a much higher velocity and thus are able to produce that fractional bit more power.

Note: This picture was taken at the Wood’s Hole Oceanographic Institute in MA, and the whale died *before* the pectoral fin was disarticulated. It had beached itself and the body was brought to the WHOI in order to study the organisms and understand them better. Head to whoi.edu to better understand their mission and all that their research represents.

@ナショナルジオグラフィック @thephotocociety @instituteartist

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