
Link to full episode on YouTube: Click Here!
Episode Sources:
⇢Horton, Travis, et al. “Baleen Whale Navigation in Astronomically Referenced Magnetic Coordinates.” Research Square (Research Square), 1 July 2024, archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00898/100969/, https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4613940/v1.
⇢Walker, M. M., et al. “Evidence That Fin Whales Respond to the Geomagnetic Field during Migration.” Journal of Experimental Biology, vol. 171, no. 1, 1 Oct. 1992, pp. 67–78, https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.171.1.67.
⇢Hochstoeger, Tobias, et al. “The Biophysical, Molecular, and Anatomical Landscape of Pigeon CRY4: A Candidate Light-Based Quantal Magnetosensor.” Science Advances, vol. 6, no. 33, 14 Aug. 2020, https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abb9110.
⇢Horton, Travis W., et al. “Straight as an Arrow: Humpback Whales Swim Constant Course Tracks during Long-Distance Migration.” Biology Letters, vol. 7, no. 5, 20 Apr. 2011, pp. 674–679, https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2011.0279.
⇢Horton, Travis W., et al. “Multi-Decadal Humpback Whale Migratory Route Fidelity despite Oceanographic and Geomagnetic Change.” Frontiers in Marine Science, vol. 7, 24 June 2020, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2020.00414.
⇢Ramp, Christian, et al. “Adapting to a Warmer Ocean—Seasonal Shift of Baleen Whale Movements over Three Decades.” PLOS ONE, vol. 10, no. 3, 18 Mar. 2015, p. e0121374, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0121374.
⇢Dunlop, Rebecca A., et al. “The Social Vocalization Repertoire of East Australian Migrating Humpback Whales (Megaptera Novaeangliae).” The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, vol. 122, no. 5, 2007, p. 2893, asa.scitation.org/doi/abs/10.1121/1.2783115, https://doi.org/10.1121/1.2783115.
⇢Dodson, Stephanie, et al. “Long-Distance Communication Can Enable Collective Migration in a Dynamic Seascape.” Scientific Reports, vol. 14, no. 1, 27 June 2024, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-65827-2.
⇢Stafford, Kathleen M., et al. “Seasonal Variability and Detection Range Modeling of Baleen Whale Calls in the Gulf of Alaska, 1999–2002.” The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, vol. 122, no. 6, Dec. 2007, pp. 3378–3390, https://doi.org/10.1121/1.2799905.
⇢Ferrari, Thomas E. “Cetacean Beachings Correlate with Geomagnetic Disturbances in Earth’s Magnetosphere: An Example of How Astronomical Changes Impact the Future of Life.” International Journal of Astrobiology, vol. 16, no. 2, 1 Apr. 2017, pp. 163–175, www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/0CE7C79E601DFD5B9CC11A226026C483/S1473550416000252a.pdf/cetace, https://doi.org/10.1017/S1473550416000252.
⇢Vanselow, Klaus Heinrich, et al. “Solar Storms May Trigger Sperm Whale Strandings: Explanation Approaches for Multiple Strandings in the North Sea in 2016.” International Journal of Astrobiology, vol. 17, no. 4, 15 Aug. 2017, pp. 336–344, https://doi.org/10.1017/s147355041700026x. Accessed 28 Oct. 2020.
⇢McGeady, Ryan, et al. “The Effects of Seismic Surveying and Environmental Variables on Deep Diving Odontocete Stranding Rates along Ireland’s Coast.” Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics, 1 Jan. 2016, pp. 040006–040006, https://doi.org/10.1121/2.0000281. Accessed 24 Sept. 2025.
⇢Castellote, Manuel, and Carlos Llorens. “Review of the Effects of Offshore Seismic Surveys in Cetaceans: Are Mass Strandings a Possibility?” Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, 26 Nov. 2015, pp. 133–143, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2981-8_16.
⇢D’Amico, Angela, et al. “Beaked Whale Strandings and Naval Exercises.” Aquatic Mammals, vol. 35, no. 4, 1 Dec. 2009, pp. 452–472, https://doi.org/10.1578/am.35.4.2009.452. Accessed 9 Feb. 2020.
⇢Parsons, E. C. M., et al. “Navy Sonar and Cetaceans: Just How Much Does the Gun Need to Smoke before We Act?” Marine Pollution Bulletin, vol. 56, no. 7, 1 July 2008, pp. 1248–1257, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X08002221?casa_token=AgsNAtjlA9MAAAAA:EEKPBWaXjSRXMK5BVAmFu1MEIP3VzzcejGef97Su4AggBKElhbBRnGgtjqGzxzmBxEhtBNe8gw, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2008.04.025.
⇢Parsons, E. C. M. “Impacts of Navy Sonar on Whales and Dolphins: Now beyond a Smoking Gun?” Frontiers in Marine Science, vol. 4, no. 4, 13 Sept. 2017, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2017.00295.
⇢Filadelfo, Ronald, et al. “Correlating Military Sonar Use with Beaked Whale Mass Strandings: What Do the Historical Data Show?” Aquatic Mammals, vol. 35, no. 4, 1 Dec. 2009, pp. 435–444, https://doi.org/10.1578/am.35.4.2009.435.
⇢Simonis, Anne E., et al. “Co-Occurrence of Beaked Whale Strandings and Naval Sonar in the Mariana Islands, Western Pacific.” Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, vol. 287, no. 1921, 19 Feb. 2020, p. 20200070, https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2020.0070.
⇢Orekhova, Ksenia. “MULTIMODAL ASSESSMENT of CETACEAN CENTRAL NERVOUS AUDITORY PATHWAYS with EMPHASIS on FORENSIC DIAGNOSTICS of ACOUSTIC TRAUMA.” Unipd.it, 22 Sept. 2023, www.research.unipd.it/handle/11577/3495440, https://hdl.handle.net/11577/3495440.
⇢ENGEL, MÁRCIA, et al. Are Seismic Surveys Responsible for Cetacean Strandings? An Unusual Mortality of Adult Humpback Whales in Abrolhos Bank, Northeastern Coast of Brazil. d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/4962022/engeletal2004areseismic-libre.pdf?1390839493=&response-content-disposition=inline;+filename=Are_seismic_surveys_responsible_for_ceta.pdf&Expires=1776376656&Signature=MDsx5IORbKYP7Vzb8n9RWrUoTTr903PijcDaowwH9EAIpj2mDsnu46CGUNs5f1i0G4FLZripFTa7VnE4~qx7gEYK-~jFoT1KYCvgoTDW1vQPS-o3A6E-YRiNHUV23h1uR27A~fzuLexcvE1Qp7Wf2klcgNX03QDH39rGZYVEsmHSamD62vOWUlVvwBq7lBPq34xeyjFOd3S57Zylg99g35huLN-pnRDxa4ba9DOW8pmAZaKFGm3oHuih8WXAVgC4d1CFrgARW542hD30kayLMTBq5XLMccNHZr52vAykBfuG0MtgVK4Y5kd5ZVwFybbc5nHpjbeWZLQ7fSW~oFfcaQ__&Key-Pair-Id=APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA.
⇢D. R. Ketten, D, et al. CRANIAL TRAUMA in BEAKED WHALES. pp. 21–27, www.researchgate.net/profile/Scott-Cramer-2/publication/229068655_Cranial_trauma_in_beaked_whales/links/09e41502d020545611000000/Cranial-trauma-in-beaked-whales.pdf.
⇢Arbelo, M, et al. “Pathology and Causes of Death of Stranded Cetaceans in the Canary Islands (1999-2005).” Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, vol. 103, no. 2, 26 Mar. 2013, pp. 87–99, https://doi.org/10.3354/dao02558. Accessed 17 Nov. 2021.
⇢Díaz-Delgado, Josué, et al. “Pathologic Findings and Causes of Death of Stranded Cetaceans in the Canary Islands (2006-2012).” PLOS ONE, vol. 13, no. 10, 5 Oct. 2018, p. e0204444, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0204444.
⇢Jacobs, J.A. “Reversals of the Earth’s Magnetic Field.” Physics Reports, vol. 26, no. 5, Aug. 1976, pp. 183–225, https://doi.org/10.1016/0370-1573(76)90006-5. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.
⇢Zoeger, J., et al. “Magnetic Material in the Head of the Common Pacific Dolphin.” Science, vol. 213, no. 4510, 21 Aug. 1981, pp. 892–894, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.7256282. Accessed 17 Dec. 2025.
⇢Kremers, Dorothee, et al. “Behavioural Evidence of Magnetoreception in Dolphins: Detection of Experimental Magnetic Fields.” Naturwissenschaften, vol. 101, no. 11, 30 Sept. 2014, pp. 907–911, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-014-1231-x.
⇢Luschi, Paolo, et al. “Testing the Navigational Abilities of Ocean Migrants: Displacement Experiments on Green Sea Turtles ( Chelonia Mydas ).” Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, vol. 50, no. 6, 1 Nov. 2001, pp. 528–534, https://doi.org/10.1007/s002650100396.
⇢Luschi, Paolo, et al. “Marine Turtles Use Geomagnetic Cues during Open-Sea Homing.” Current Biology, vol. 17, no. 2, Jan. 2007, pp. 126–133, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2006.11.062.
Image Sources:
⇢How Earth’s magnetic field works: Dobrijevic, Daisy. “Earth’s Magnetic Field: Explained.” Space.com, 6 July 2022, www.space.com/earths-magnetic-field-explained.
⇢NOAA magnetic declination: “Earth’s Magnetic Declination - Science on a Sphere.” Science on a Sphere, 5 Jan. 2021, sos.noaa.gov/catalog/datasets/earths-magnetic-declination/.
⇢Topographic maps: “Topographic Maps: How to Read a Map with No Roads.” Maps with No Roads, 7 Nov. 2019,
mapswithnoroads.com/home/topographic-maps-how-to-read-a-map-with-no-roads.
⇢Seasonal tilting of Earth: US Department of Commerce, NOAA, National Weather Service. “What Causes the Seasons?” Weather.gov, 2019, www.weather.gov/fsd/season.
⇢Sunspot graphic: “How and Why do Sunspots Occur?” Physics Stack Exchange, 2016, physics.stackexchange.com/questions/227534/how-and-why-do-sunspots-occur.
⇢Solar flare at different wavelengths: Photo credit-NASA, “Solar Flare | UCAR Center for Science Education.” Scied.ucar.edu, 2013, scied.ucar.edu/learning-zone/sun-space-weather/solar-flare.
⇢Solar flares & Earth: Whitehouse, David. “Sun Produces Monster Solar Flare.” Bbc.co.uk, November 5, 2003, news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3242353.stm.
⇢Extent of Aurora: Rowe, Will. “Another Aurora Viewing Expected Tonight.” WACH Fox57, 12 Nov. 2025, wach.com/weather/skywach-weather-blog/another-aurora-viewing-expected-tonight. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
⇢Navy Sonar and Beaked Whales: “Russian Military Tests Threaten Whales in Irish Waters!” Orcaireland.org, 25 Jan. 2022, www.orcaireland.org/breaking-russian-military-tests-threaten-whales-off-the-porcupine-seabight. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
⇢Seismic Surveys & Marine Life: Braidwood, Alex. “Statement on Seismic Testing” Worldlisteningproject.org, 16 Aug. 2019, www.worldlisteningproject.org/statement-on-ocean-seismic-testing/. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
⇢Beaching of T123 & T123A: Photo Credit-Doug Davis in Towers, Jared A., et al. “Live Strandings of Bigg’s Killer Whales (Orcinus Orca) along the West Coast of North America.” Aquatic Mammals, vol. 46, no. 5, 15 Sept. 2020, pp. 466–477, https://doi.org/10.1578/am.46.5.2020.466. Accessed 29 Oct. 2020.
⇢Beaching of T109A3 Spong: “Beached orca in B.C. dies despite life-saving efforts” Www.cbc.ca, March 23, 2026, www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/orca-dead-1.7153861.
⇢Sea turtle nesting site: “IT’S SEA TURTLE NESTING SEASON – HELP PROTECT HATCHLINGS THIS SUMMER.” Hawaii.gov, 2025, dlnr.hawaii.gov/blog/2025/08/01/nr25-104/.