51–60 of 199 posts
Earlier quoted context omitted.
A single whaler in 1820 versus a spate of events since a few months back seem rather unrelated, orcas have not been ramming boats all over for the last two centuries. Though I guess it’s possible that they’re also avenging or preemptively defending themselves.
not a lot of people knew how to write back then?
I dont really get how this is suggested seriously as a new behavior. The inspiration for Moby Dick, one of the most read books in English, was based on a ship sunk my sperm whales: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essex_(whaleship) Yes I know orcas and sperm whales are different, but its weird that this is suggested a new behavior in general. And not just a new counting of something that has been going on for centuries.
A single whaler in 1820 versus a spate of events since a few months back seem rather unrelated, orcas have not been ramming boats all over for the last two centuries. Though I guess it’s possible that they’re also avenging or preemptively defending themselves.
Only if you assume that the inspirational event in 1820 was the only time it happened.
I don't think the Georgians had the ability or inclination to document every time a whale took down a ship around the whole planet.
Yeah I know the argument that humans are too bony and taste bad, but how would they know we taste bad if they never even take a nibble to taste test us? These are very intelligent mammals, they should be curious about how we taste. Am I to believe that sharks are more inquisitive and willing to experiment with food than orcas?
This American Life just did a segment where the experts were very skeptical of both the theories presented in this article - that the first encounters near Spain were caused by a traumatic event of a matriarch, and also that orca pods would communicate with each other to spread the behavior. The theory presented in that segment was the first orcas are sort of like rowdy teenagers participating in a fad, and the newer…
Orcas do go in for fads (look up 'orca salmon hats') but experts oftentimes dismiss things as coincidence because they don't have a theory and don't want to look stupid by speculating. When I was growing up reports of ball lightning were dismissed as hallucinations or optical illusions until video and spectrographic technology advanced sufficiently to capture the phenomenon: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ball_lightning
This American Life just did a segment where the experts were very skeptical of both the theories presented in this article - that the first encounters near Spain were caused by a traumatic event of a matriarch, and also that orca pods would communicate with each other to spread the behavior. The theory presented in that segment was the first orcas are sort of like rowdy teenagers participating in a fad, and the newer…
> orcas are sort of like rowdy teenagers participating in a fad That sounds more amazing to me than the theory of the traumatic event, an Ocra equivalent to a TikTok trend.
I've never believed that orcas have always left humans alone. I think they began leaving humans alone when commercial whaling took off and they witnessed first hand how dangerous humans can be to whales. Maybe that generational memory is now fading. Yeah I know the argument that humans are too bony and taste bad, but how would they know we taste bad if they never even take a nibble to taste test us? These are very in…
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm skeptical anything (reasonable) would be able to shoot through several feet of water.
Harpoon guns are designed to do exactly that.
it's like trying to solve school shooting, by giving teachers guns
I dont really get how this is suggested seriously as a new behavior. The inspiration for Moby Dick, one of the most read books in English, was based on a ship sunk my sperm whales: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essex_(whaleship) Yes I know orcas and sperm whales are different, but its weird that this is suggested a new behavior in general. And not just a new counting of something that has been going on for centuries.
A single whaler in 1820 versus a spate of events since a few months back seem rather unrelated, orcas have not been ramming boats all over for the last two centuries. Though I guess it’s possible that they’re also avenging or preemptively defending themselves.
I've never believed that orcas have always left humans alone. I think they began leaving humans alone when commercial whaling took off and they witnessed first hand how dangerous humans can be to whales. Maybe that generational memory is now fading. Yeah I know the argument that humans are too bony and taste bad, but how would they know we taste bad if they never even take a nibble to taste test us? These are very in…
Sharks are dumb. They’re not experimenting they’re making mistakes.
Not going to lie, friends: I’m rooting for the whales.