<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss version="2.0" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"><channel><title>Whales | smithsonianmag.com</title><link>https://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/whales/</link><description>RSS feed for Whales</description><atom:link href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/whales/" rel="self"/><language>en</language><lastBuildDate>Fri, 16 Oct 2026 17:45:41 +0000</lastBuildDate><item><title>In the New Movie 'Whalefall,' a Cetacean Swallows a Diver Whole. The Sperm Whale's Remarkable Anatomy and Feeding Habits Shape the Survival Thriller</title><link>https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/in-the-new-movie-whalefall-a-cetacean-swallows-a-diver-whole-the-sperm-whales-remarkable-anatomy-and-feeding-habits-shape-the-survival-thriller-180989700/</link><description>The film, an adaptation of Daniel Kraus’ 2023 novel, tells the story of a young man with an extremely challenging task: make it out of a whale’s stomach alive</description><pubDate>Fri, 16 Oct 2026 17:45:41 +0000</pubDate><guid>https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/in-the-new-movie-whalefall-a-cetacean-swallows-a-diver-whole-the-sperm-whales-remarkable-anatomy-and-feeding-habits-shape-the-survival-thriller-180989700/</guid><enclosure length="4125364" type="image/jpeg" url="https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/3kLHVmaD0ZkpfSu2PCwuS2J8-1M=/420x240/filters:focal(3352x2250:3353x2251)/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/e8/d3/e8d3b80f-3169-4d3b-bd65-c4a0b9805edb/gettyimages-2298516484.jpg"/></item><item><title>Four Beluga Whales Died Weeks After Being Rescued From a Defunct Marine Park in Canada. Were the Animals Too Sick to Be Moved?</title><link>https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/four-beluga-whales-died-weeks-after-being-rescued-from-a-defunct-marine-park-in-canada-were-the-animals-too-sick-to-be-moved-180989597/</link><description>They were among 30 whales transferred from the facility over the summer. It had faced multiple allegations of animal neglect and cruelty before closing in 2024</description><pubDate>Thu, 01 Oct 2026 15:34:19 +0000</pubDate><guid>https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/four-beluga-whales-died-weeks-after-being-rescued-from-a-defunct-marine-park-in-canada-were-the-animals-too-sick-to-be-moved-180989597/</guid><enclosure length="133665" type="image/jpeg" url="https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/YNkTh5wfEDZm-n20YAuybS5pM9s=/420x240/filters:focal(723x434:724x435)/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/4b/4e/4b4e381d-9c4e-49de-9c09-823656071a1a/dv6ax63eg14lc6fwdq1qgpwl9awd.jpg"/></item><item><title>A Humpback Whale Mom Stayed With Her Stillborn Calf, Repeatedly Touching It and Staring Into Its Eyes. Was She Grieving?</title><link>https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-humpback-whale-mom-stayed-with-her-stillborn-calf-repeatedly-touchingi-it-and-staring-into-its-eyes-was-she-grieving-180989516/</link><description>Observed last year off the coast of Queensland, Australia, this event marks the first documentation of a stillbirth in the species, providing a rare glimpse at how the highly social animals respond to death</description><pubDate>Fri, 18 Sep 2026 14:00:00 +0000</pubDate><guid>https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-humpback-whale-mom-stayed-with-her-stillborn-calf-repeatedly-touchingi-it-and-staring-into-its-eyes-was-she-grieving-180989516/</guid><enclosure length="2260026" type="image/jpeg" url="https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/IpN2zeC4Ek1Eyt2U423LyMgGaHk=/420x240/filters:focal(2560x1707:2561x1708)/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/6c/2b/6c2b9cb4-4047-4020-8266-b2b2a9ddf278/15194165793_23452f7980_5k.jpg"/></item><item><title>A New Museum in Norway Is Bringing Visitors Into the World of Whales—From Life-Size Orcas to Immersive Underwater Exhibits</title><link>https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-new-museum-in-northern-norway-is-bringing-visitors-into-the-world-of-whales-from-life-size-orcas-to-immersive-underwater-exhibits-180989421/</link><description>Opening in 2027, The Whale will explore the science, behavior, evolution and cultural history of whales through art, storytelling, sound and architecture</description><pubDate>Mon, 31 Aug 2026 17:57:00 +0000</pubDate><guid>https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-new-museum-in-northern-norway-is-bringing-visitors-into-the-world-of-whales-from-life-size-orcas-to-immersive-underwater-exhibits-180989421/</guid><enclosure length="5913110" type="image/jpeg" url="https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/7JDEyDcFxyMWLDM5qm2Hav-3YMI=/420x240/filters:focal(2000x1124:2001x1125)/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/9b/0d/9b0d24ef-d1cc-4089-a225-083ee66d6eb4/the_whale_dorte_mandrup_as_illustration_by_mir_bergen_4.jpg"/></item><item><title>See 16 Stunning Animal Images From the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards</title><link>https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-16-stunning-animal-images-from-the-wildlife-photographer-of-the-year-awards-180989397/</link><description>Now in its 62nd year, the famed competition has released a sneak peek of the entries from this contest ahead of announcing the winners in October</description><pubDate>Wed, 26 Aug 2026 18:28:04 +0000</pubDate><guid>https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-16-stunning-animal-images-from-the-wildlife-photographer-of-the-year-awards-180989397/</guid><enclosure length="4273356" type="image/jpeg" url="https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/2rQkH38Pcj87NBbc-ka3nBdkaTs=/420x240/filters:focal(1280x859:1281x860)/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/dd/dd/dddd293f-fdd7-4e4f-ac3f-8507e88d1e45/c_audun_rikardsen.jpg"/></item><item><title>A New Statue Honors 'Moby-Dick' Author Herman Melville in the Massachusetts City Where His Whaling Adventures Began</title><link>https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-new-statue-honors-moby-dick-author-herman-melville-in-the-massachusetts-city-where-his-whaling-adventures-began-180989388/</link><description>The 7.5-foot-tall bronze artwork stands in the heart of historic New Bedford, the 19th-century whaling port that inspired the author's famous 1851 novel</description><pubDate>Tue, 25 Aug 2026 17:57:22 +0000</pubDate><guid>https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-new-statue-honors-moby-dick-author-herman-melville-in-the-massachusetts-city-where-his-whaling-adventures-began-180989388/</guid><enclosure length="1493142" type="image/jpeg" url="https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/VJ-WDyeBASTURuhXmWo2satTEQM=/420x240/filters:focal(900x609:901x610)/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/08/9d/089d373f-c69e-45eb-8ba9-b6ffdb2f545a/773632968_1442990374528781_6788456863384347263_n.jpeg"/></item><item><title>Narwhals Sport Iconic Straight, Spiraled Tusks. Scientists Just Uncovered Some of the Eye-Catching Feature's Structural Secrets</title><link>https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/narwhals-sport-iconic-straight-spiraled-tusks-scientists-just-uncovered-some-of-the-eye-catching-features-structural-secrets-180989368/</link><description>The Arctic whales are the only known animals with straight tusks, and ones that consistently twist to the left. New research reveals that the inner layer twists to the right and that the opposing spirals provide strength and help the tusks grow straight</description><pubDate>Thu, 20 Aug 2026 15:11:05 +0000</pubDate><guid>https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/narwhals-sport-iconic-straight-spiraled-tusks-scientists-just-uncovered-some-of-the-eye-catching-features-structural-secrets-180989368/</guid><enclosure length="1381357" type="image/jpeg" url="https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/lTIbD1kX9MAt40JXM3u5TL6_IFk=/420x240/filters:focal(1467x992:1468x993)/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/0d/b6/0db6a183-3e35-4b2e-9ad6-2489249044f4/narwhal-group.jpeg"/></item></channel></rss>