Marina Wang

1 day ago | scientificamerican.com | Marina Wang

One day in June 2022 Chérine Baumgartner, a researcher at the Icelandic Orca Project, was watching from a dinghy as a pod of killer whales fed on herring—when she noticed something very odd about what seemed to be a young member of the pod. “At first, we were like, ‘Oh my god, this killer whale calf has a problem,’” she says. It was far tinier than normal and lacked an infant orca’s characteristic black-and-pale-orange coloration.

3 weeks ago | nautil.us | Marina Wang

In 1992, Hurricane Andrew, one of the most devastating tropical cyclones in United States history, ravaged Elliott Key, Florida. “Most of the island was covered in seawater, and about a quarter of the trees were either toppled or completely broken,” says Sarah Steele Cabrera, a biologist at the University of Florida. “There was not a leaf to be seen.” Nautilus Members enjoy an ad-free experience. Log in or Join now .

4 weeks ago | smithsonianmag.com | Marina Wang

For Schaus’ swallowtail butterflies, the powerful storms mean clear skies and bright futures In 1992, Hurricane Andrew, one of the most devastating tropical cyclones in U.S. history, ravaged Elliott Key, Florida. “Most of the island was covered in seawater, and about a quarter of the trees were either toppled or completely broken,” says Sarah Steele Cabrera, a biologist at the University of Florida.

Feb 7, 2025 | nautil.us | Marina Wang

From a whale watching boat near Valdes Peninsula in Argentina, marine biologist Maria Piotto observed a mother-calf pair of southern right whales. As the calf splashed around in the water playfully, a kelp gull hovered overhead and persistently swooped down to nab at the breaching baby whale’s flesh. The gull was attacking with such intensity, Piotto says, “that I thought the gull must be getting a really considerable meal.” Nautilus Members enjoy an ad-free experience.

Nov 29, 2024 | hakaimagazine.com | Marina Wang

One of the killer whale’s most distinguishing features is its saddle patch: an area of gray or white coloration behind its dorsal fin. Each killer whale has a distinct saddle patch, just as humans have distinct fingerprints. Scientists and other observers can use these patches both to identify individuals and to differentiate one ecologically divided population from another.