It can reach the length of incredible 30 meters and weigh almost 200 tons. In size, we can compare it to the largest of dinosaurs, only 2 times bigger. With measures like that, we can say without a doubt, that the blue whale is the largest animal that has ever lived on this planet.
With that in mind, we can't help ourselves but wonder how did they become so enormous?
Luckily for us, a group of scientists from Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History was determined to shed some light on the mystery of the blue whale and its gigantic size.
Blue whales weren't always this big. It might be hard to believe but they were significantly smaller in size for the most part of their 35 million year history. It wasn't until only 2-3 million years ago that they became the giants that we know today.
It wouldn't be much of a mystery if only they grew in size GRADUALLY. But they did not. The gigantic growth of the blue whale was sudden. And it was this fact alone that encouraged this group of scientists from Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History to further explore what caused this extraordinary phenomenon.
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For the research to be conducted scientists had to determine the size of the skeletons. And however hard it might seem to be, they were able to estimate the length of 63 species. >Here's how:
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As they continued their research, the scientists noticed that something had changed in recent past that turned the blue whales into giants we know today.
It wasn't long until they realized that it has something to do with the climate change. And with a mere glance at the timeline, they instantly knew this evolutionary shift that occurred 2-3 million years ago matches the beginning of Ice Ages.
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The real question here is how does the climate change relate to the growing size of the blue whales? But the answer is rather simple.
Climate change and the sudden glaciation that marked the Ice Ages reshaped the food supply for the blue whales.
As we all know, the blue whale, one of 12 species of baleen whales, feeds on planktonic crustaceans called krill. And with their filter-feeder system, they are able to obtain the huge amounts of prey that is high in nutrients.
So when glaciation began, it washed krill into coastal waters, where the blue whales live, boosting their food supplies. And given the fact that they take 125% of their body weight, it's no wonder they have grown so big.
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If there is one thing we have learned from this research that would certainly be how climate change can influence a life on this planet.
Going back to the Ice Ages, we saw the change that turned blue whales into giants. And today, with a climate constantly changing, let's just hope that they don't reduce in both size and the number.
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