Baleen is a flexible, keratin-based filtering system that allows whales to feed on massive amounts of tiny prey efficiently. Different baleen shapes and sizes reflect different feeding strategies, ...

Most of the Earth’s surface is covered by ocean.  This vast expanse of water still holds many mysteries.  One such mystery is ...

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Whales are a group of ...

Alfred the aetiocetid had teeth but needed a better way to capture his tiny prey. Credit: Carl Buell Baleen whales, such as the gigantic 30m-long blue whale, are the largest animals that have ever ...

Killer whales are the only natural predator of baleen whales — those that have “baleen” in their mouths to sieve their plankton diet from the water. More solitary than toothed whales, baleen whales ...

The blue whale, which uses baleen to filter its prey from ocean water and can reach lengths of over 100 feet, is the largest vertebrate animal that has ever lived. On the list of the planet’s most ...