Numinous
Numinous › Nature › Fact
Nature

Bowhead whales can live an extraordinarily long time. NOAA Fisheries says newer aging techniques suggest some may live more than 200 years.

1 source verified 2 min read
Bowhead whales can live an extraordinarily long time. NOAA Fisheries says newer aging techniques suggest some may live more than 200 years.ILLUSTRATION · AI

Evidence suggests bowhead whales can live more than 200 years, NOAA Fisheries says.

It has long been known that bowhead whales live well over 100 years. New techniques allow more precise estimates of their age, and studies suggest they may live to be over 200 years old.

Bowheads live in Arctic waters and reach up to 62 feet and 200,000 pounds. NOAA notes that they carry genes that allow for repair of damaged DNA.

SourcesEvery claim traced
Advertisement
Keep reading

More facts

In ideal conditions, kelp can grow up to 18 inches in a single day. Kelp forests provide food and shelter for thousands of species, NOAA says.
Nature

In ideal conditions, kelp can grow up to 18 inches in a single day. Kelp forests provide food and shelter for thousands of species, NOAA says.

Verified2 min
Gray whales travel about 10,000 miles round-trip every year, and some go more than 14,000, one of the longest annual migrations of any mammal, NOAA says.
Nature

Gray whales travel about 10,000 miles round-trip every year, and some go more than 14,000, one of the longest annual migrations of any mammal, NOAA says.

Verified2 min
About half of Earth's oxygen production comes from the ocean. Tiny Prochlorococcus bacteria account for up to 20% of global oxygen production, NOAA says.
Nature

About half of Earth's oxygen production comes from the ocean. Tiny Prochlorococcus bacteria account for up to 20% of global oxygen production, NOAA says.

Verified2 min