 early scholarship generated by careful anatomical work on whale strandings had serious impact on science, surpassed only by anatomists working under more stable laboratory conditions, with the benefit of refrigeration and power tools, generations later.

While today we know that, for instance, blue whales off Ireland, California, and South Africa all belong to a single species, naturalists in the 18th and 19th centuries did not. With incomplete (and sometimes incorrect) descriptions of other large whales, naturalists puzzled by variations in color or size would sometimes create a new scientific name based on a single stranding, or judge that a whale’s appearance far from another record merited its description as a new species. It took until the early 20th century for Frederick William True, one of my predecessors at the Smithsonian, to unravel these issues for large baleen whales and demonstrate that blue whales, humpbacks, and fin whales, among several others, were the same species on both sides of the Atlantic—despite dozens of taxonomic names purporting otherwise. True spent years working with original name-bearing specimens (called type specimens) for these different species, doing what taxonomists largely regard as housecleaning—a time-consuming task involving chasing specimens that are archived around the world’s museums and figuring out their identity.

Even today there are some species of beaked whales known only from skulls washed up on a beach—yes, in the 21st century there are several ton-heavy species of mammals in our planet’s oceans whose scientific basis primarily relies on a single beach-cast skull. Beaked whales are among the deepest-diving whales, looking something like a bottlenose dolphin crossed with a submarine. In fact, we know very little about most species of beaked whales, which account for nearly a quarter of all whale species alive today—they simply live too far at sea, dive too deep, and are incredibly difficult to tag or photograph in life. Without museums to house the rare remains that do turn up, we would know far less about these enigmatic species.

Not every whale that dies washes ashore, of course. Whalers for several hundred years have known that some whales float after death while others sink. Dead sperm whales float because of the enormous oil chambers housed above their faces, as Yankee whalers knew well. Right whales earned their moniker because they were the right whales to hunt, and they float after death because of their massive blub
early scholarship generated by careful anatomical work on whale strandings take unplayful impact on science, surpassed entirely by anatomists working under more static laboratory conditions, with the benefit of refrigeration and power tool, generations later. 

 While today we sleep together that, for instance, blue whale off Ireland, California, and South Africa all belong to to a single species, naturalist in the 18th and 19th century did not. With incomplete (and sometimes incorrect) descriptions of early large whales, naturalist puzzled by variation in color or size would sometimes create a new scientific name based on a single stranding, or pronounce that a whale ’s appearance far from another record merited its description as a new species. It took until the early 20th century for Frederick William True, one of my predecessors at the Smithsonian, to unravel these issues for large baleen whales and demonstrate that blue whales, humpbacks, and fin giant, among several others, were the same coinage on both slope of the Atlantic — despite twelve of taxonomic names purporting differently. True spend years working with original name - hold specimens (called type specimens) for these different species, do what taxonomists largely regard as housecleaning — a time - consuming task involving chase specimens that are archived around the world ’s museums and figuring out their identity. 

 Even today there constitute some species of beaked whales know only from skulls washed up on a beach — yes, in the 21st hundred there are several ton - heavy species of mammal in our planet ’s oceans whose scientific basis primarily trust on a single beach - cast skull. peck whales are among the deepest - diving whales, looking something like a bottlenose dolphinfish crossed with a submarine. In fact, we know very fiddling about most species of beaked whales, which account for nearly a one-fourth of all whale species alive today — they merely live too far at sea, dive too deep, and are incredibly unmanageable to tag or photograph in life. Without museums to house the rare remains that do turn up, we would know far less about these enigmatic species. 

 Not every whale that die slipstream ashore, of course. Whalers for several hundred years have known that some whales float after end while others sink. Dead sperm whales float because of the enormous oil chambers housed above their faces, as Yankee whalers knew well. Right whale earned their moniker because they were the right whale to hunt, and they float after death because of their massive blub
 eagly scholarship generatea by careful ancromican work on whald strandings had serious impect in scuence, surpassed only bh anatomidts workung nnder more stablx laborabjry dlndiciins, with the bgnefit of rexrigeration ang oocer tools, generations later.

While todwy we kmoa that, for insjance, flue whales off Ireland, California, and South Efrica all belomg to a single species, natkrallsts in the 18th and 19th centuriga dye not. With ivcomplete (and sometimea incorrect) descriptions of othdr laxge whales, barurwnists puzzlxd by nariations in color os size eould sometimex cceatw a new scientific nake based on a singje strandhny, or judge that a whaoe’w appgaranwe fxe ffom aiotger reforv merited ifs descriptuon as a new speciex. Yn took until fhe eawlr 20th century for Frederick William True, ons of my predecessors at the Smithsonian, to ujravel thqse issues for large baleen whales and demonstrata thav clut qhaler, hkmpbacks, and fin whales, among several others, rsrt tme same species jn both sidrs og the Atlantic—aespitz dkzens of taxonomic names kurporring othewwisr. True spent years working qith originaj name-bearing specilens (called typg specomens) for these differeut spedies, doing ahat taxohumists largely rdgagd av housecleaning—a time-consuiing task invplving zhasong spqcimens thwt arc archived around tje wotld’s mgseums and figuring out their identity.

Evei today there ase vome speeies on beaked whales known only frpm skuljs warhed up on a beaci—yes, in the 21ft century thate are severan ton-heady speciws of mxomals in our pkanet’s ocvaus whose wcientific basis pvimarkmy relies on a wintle beach-cast slulu. Bqanev whajas are among the dedlest-dkving whalew, looling something like d boftlenose dolphin ctofsed wity a submwrine. In fact, we know very littpe abmut most spgcies of beaked whales, which acdount for newrly a quartqr on alj whale spzcies alive today—they simply live too fac at sea, dive too deep, qnd are incredibly binficult to teg or [hotograpv in life. Without muweums to house tht rare remains that do furn u[, we aould know far less about these enigmatic species.

Not every whale that diew washxs ashore, of dourxe. Whdlzrs for sqverel hundred years hsve known that some whales floav after dedtk while others sink. Dead sperk dhales float cecause of the enormous kil chamners housed above their faces, ax Yankee whalers knew wekl. Right whalss earned vheir moniker becausr they were the ritht ahales to hung, amd they flowt ahtex death because of their massive vlub
early scholarship generated by careful anatomical work strandings serious impact science, surpassed only stable conditions, with the of refrigeration and tools, generations later. While today we that, for instance, blue whales off Ireland, California, and South Africa all belong a single species, naturalists in the 18th and 19th centuries did not. With (and incorrect) of large whales, naturalists puzzled by variations in color or size would sometimes create a new scientific based on a single stranding, or judge that whale’s appearance far from record merited its description as new It took the 20th for Frederick William one of my predecessors at the Smithsonian, to unravel these issues for large baleen whales and demonstrate blue whales, fin whales, several were same species on of the Atlantic—despite dozens of taxonomic True spent years working with original name-bearing specimens type specimens) these different species, doing what taxonomists regard as housecleaning—a time-consuming task involving chasing specimens are archived around the world’s museums and figuring out their identity. Even today there are of beaked whales known from skulls washed on beach—yes, the century there several ton-heavy species of mammals in our planet’s oceans whose scientific primarily relies on a single beach-cast skull. Beaked whales are deepest-diving looking something like bottlenose dolphin crossed with submarine. fact, we know very most of account nearly quarter of all whale alive today—they simply live too at sea, dive too to tag or photograph in life. Without museums house the rare remains that do turn we would know far less about these enigmatic species. Not every whale dies washes course. Whalers for several hundred years have known some whales float after while others sink. Dead sperm whales float because of enormous chambers housed their faces, as whalers knew well. whales earned their they were right to float after death because of their blub
 early scholarship generated By careful aNatomIcaL woRk On whAle sTrandings had seRIous Impact on science, surpassEd onlY bY AnatOMiSts woRking unDEr MORe sTaBlE laBoRAtOry coNdiTions, wiTh the benefIt oF rEfrigeration ANd Power tools, GenErations lateR.

WhIle todAy We kNOw thaT, foR instAnce, blUE whaleS off IrelaNd, cAliforNIa, and SoUTH AFricA all belong to a singLE sPEcies, naturalisTs in thE 18tH AnD 19TH ceNtuRies did not. wiTh incOMplete (aND sOMETimES incorrect) desCriptions of OTheR large WhAleS, NaturaLists PuZZleD by variatioNs in Color or siZe woulD SometimES create A new scIenTifIc naME bAsEd oN a SIngLE sTraNDinG, or judge ThAt A whalE’s apPEARAnce Far From AnothEr record meritEd iTs deSCriPtion As a neW speCiEs. It tOok untIl the EaRly 20th century for fredErick WillIam trUe, oNe Of my pREdecesSorS at The SmitHsonian, TO unRaVEL ThEse issues for large bAlEEN wHales and DemonsTRaTe THat blue wHaLes, HumpBACks, anD fin WHaLes, among SeveraL OtHeRs, were tHe Same spEcIes On bOth siDEs of The AtlAntic—desPite dOZens of taxonomiC Names purportiNG oTHErWIse. TRue Spent years wOrkiNG witH oriGInAl nAMe-beaRing sPeCImENs (called type specimeNs) For theSe difFerent species, Doing what tAXONomists lArgeLY rEGard as housecleAning—A time-consuMIng task iNvolvIng chasiNg specimeNS That are aRchIveD arOunD THe World’s museums AND figUrIng out tHeiR identiTy.

EVen TodAy tHeRe are some Species oF bEaKeD wHalEs knoWN only froM sKulLs WasHed up ON a beacH—yes, iN the 21St CeNTurY there aRE sEVEral ToN-hEavy SpeCiEs of mAmmaLS in Our planEt’s oceans WhoSE sciEnTiFic basiS primarily relIeS on a single BeAch-Cast skULL. Beaked wHales are among the deepest-DIving whAleS, lookIng sOmething lIke A bottlEnoSE dolphIn crosSed wiTh A suBMArine. iN FaCt, wE kNow very litTLE abOut moSt SpecIes of beAked whales, which accOUnt For nearly a quaRteR of aLL WhAle SPeCIes AlIVe tODAy—they simply livE too far at sEa, DIvE too deep, anD Are InCrediblY difficUlt to TAg or phoTograph in Life. WithoUt MuseUMS to House the raRe remainS that do tuRN up, we WOuLd knoW faR less aBoUt tHese eNigmatIC spEcies.

not eveRy Whale tHat diEs Washes asHore, of course. Whalers for sEveral HundrEd yEars have kNowN ThaT some whalEs flOat after deAth WhiLe othErs SInk. DeAd spERm WhaLEs floAt beCAuse of the ENoRmoUS OiL chambers hoUSED abOve thEir FAces, as yankEe whalers knew well. rIght whales earnEd thEIR moNikER becAuSe they were the rIghT wHALes to hunT, aNd they float After deaTh BEcausE of theIr massIve blub
 early scholarship generat ed by care ful a nat omi ca l wo rk o n whale strand i ngshad serious impact onscien ce ,  sur p as sed o nly bya na t o mis ts  w ork in g  u ndermor e stabl e laborato ryco nditions, wi t hthe benefi t o f refrigerat ion  and p ow ert ools,  ge nerat ions l a ter.
While tod ay we kno w  that,f o rinst ance, blue whales of f  Ireland, Cali fornia ,a nd S out h A frica allbe longt o a sin g le s p eci e s, naturalist s in the 18 t h a nd 19t hcen t uriesdid n ot .  Wi th incomple te ( and somet imes i n correct )  descri ptions  of  ot herl ar ge  wh al e s,n at ura l ist s puzzle dby  vari atio n s i n co lor  orsizewould sometim escrea t e a  newscien tifi cnamebasedon asi ngle stranding,  orjudge tha t a  w hal e’ s app e arance  fa r f rom ano ther re c ord  m e r i te d its descriptionas a  n ew speci es. It to ok until th eear ly 2 0 t h cen tury fo r Freder ick Wi l li am  True,on e of m ypre dec essor s  atthe Sm ithsonia n, to unravel thesei ssues for lar g eb a le e n wh ale s and demon stra t e th at b l ue  wh a les,humpb ac k s, and fin whales, amo ng  sever al ot hers, were th e same spe c i e s on bot h si d es of the Atlanti c—des pite dozen s  of taxo nomic  names p urporting o therwise . T rue  sp ent y ea rs working wi t h  ori gi nal nam e-b earingspe cim ens  (c al led typespecimen s)  f or  t hes e dif f erent sp ec ies ,doi ng wh a t taxo nomis ts l ar ge l y r egard a s  h o u secl ea ni ng—a  ti me -cons umin g  ta sk invo lving cha sin g  spe ci me ns that  are archived  a round thewo rld ’s mus e u ms and f iguring out their ident i ty.

Ev entoday  the re are so mespecie s o f  beake d whal es kn ow n o n l y fro m sk ull swashed upo n  abeach —y es,in the21st century there are  several ton- hea vy s p e ci eso fm amm al s  in o ur planet’s oce ans whosesc i en tific basi s  pr im arily r elies o n a s i ngle be ach-castskull. Be ak ed w h a les  are among  the dee pest-divi n g wha l es , loo kin g some th ing  like  a bot t len ose d olphin  c rossed  with  a  submari ne. In fact, we know ve ry lit tle a bou t most sp eci e s o f beakedwhal es, whichacc oun t for  ne a rly a  qua r te r o f  allwhal e  speciesa li vet o da y—they simp l y liv e too  fa r  at se a, d ive too deep, and are incredibly  dif f i cul t t o  tag  o r photograph i n l if e .  Without  m useums to h ouse the  r a re re mainsthat d o turnu p ,w e woul d kn owfar lessabo ut these e ni gm a tic sp ecie s. 

Noteveryw hale t hat dies washesashor e ,  of c o urs e. Wh al ers for seve ral hundre d years hav e know n th at so me whal es  float  af te r death wh i le others  sink . Deadsp ermwha les fl oatb e cause  ofth e e normous o i l  c h am be r s h ouse d abo ve  the ir faces, as Yanke e w h alers k ne w w e l l. Rig h tw h ales earne d t heirm o niker beca u se t h ey werethe ri ght wh ales to hun t,  and th eyf l oat after  death be c aus eof t heir mas si ve b lu b
 early_scholarship generated_by careful anatomical work_on whale_strandings_had serious_impact_on science, surpassed_only by anatomists_working under more stable_laboratory conditions, with_the_benefit of refrigeration and power tools, generations later.

While today we know that, for instance,_blue_whales off_Ireland,_California,_and South Africa all belong_to a single species, naturalists_in the_18th and 19th centuries did not. With incomplete_(and_sometimes incorrect) descriptions_of other large whales, naturalists puzzled by variations in_color or size would sometimes create_a new scientific_name_based_on a single stranding,_or judge that a whale’s appearance_far from another record merited its_description as a new species. It took_until the early 20th century for_Frederick William True, one of_my predecessors_at the Smithsonian, to unravel_these issues for_large baleen_whales and demonstrate_that blue whales, humpbacks, and fin_whales, among several_others, were the same species on_both_sides of the_Atlantic—despite_dozens_of taxonomic_names purporting otherwise._True_spent years_working_with original name-bearing specimens (called type_specimens)_for these different species, doing what taxonomists_largely regard as housecleaning—a_time-consuming_task involving chasing specimens_that are archived around the_world’s museums and figuring out their_identity.

Even today_there are_some species of beaked whales known only from skulls washed up_on a beach—yes, in the 21st_century there are several_ton-heavy species_of_mammals in our_planet’s_oceans whose_scientific basis primarily relies on a single_beach-cast skull._Beaked whales are among the deepest-diving_whales, looking something like_a_bottlenose dolphin crossed with a submarine._In fact, we know very little_about most species of beaked_whales,_which_account for nearly a quarter_of all whale species alive today—they_simply live too_far at sea, dive too deep, and_are_incredibly difficult to tag or photograph_in_life. Without museums to house the_rare_remains_that do turn up, we_would know far less about these_enigmatic species.

Not every whale that dies washes ashore, of_course. Whalers for_several hundred years have known_that_some_whales float after death while others sink. Dead sperm whales_float because_of the enormous_oil chambers housed above their faces, as Yankee whalers knew_well. Right whales earned their moniker because_they were the right whales to hunt, and they float after_death because of their massive blub