How Ancient Whales May Have Changed the Deep Ocean

It looks like the evolution of ocean-going whales like Borealodon may have affected communities found in the deep ocean, like the ones found around geothermal vents. And it turns out that when a whale dies, that’s just the beginning of the story.

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[andyjay]

In a similar vein, after the extinction of North America's megafauna, one of California condors' main food sources became beached whales, which caused them to live closer to the coast (and may have kept them from extinction).

[bluedragon]

I would like to learn how Baleen evolved. It's quite different from teeth and seems so specialized too. :)

[masonmellinger]

You guys should do a follow up video on what the Mesozoic falls were like since you mentioned evidence of a scavenged ichthyosaur. A big question is what happened to deep sea life after the events of the KT Mass Extinction Event. How did those lifeforms survive when big marine reptiles went extinct? Was the deep sea ecology similar or different to modern deep sea life?

[Mikailodon]

It’s interesting to think that not only are whales and other cetaceans my favorite mammal group, but also they helped other marine life over millions of years by feeding the deep after a terrible anoxic event that killed ichthyosaurs and pliosaurs.

[TctyaDDKhang]

Due to the difficulty of finding and access fossils from the ocean floor, and the continuous subduction of ocean plates, may be it would be hard to know if the same process might have happened during the Mesozoic era where there were majestic massive marine reptiles that lived and died and fell to the abyss.

[sephikong]

I always love Whale falls, these are some of the most fascinating events in the world

[brenleeshipps]

Hey! That's me! Or the animal I studied, anyway. This is amazing, I love Eons so much. It's crazy to see the specimen I spent so much time on as the focus of one of your videos. I feel a little starstruck! Thanks for spotlighting this really cool fossil and spreading the good news of whale falls.

[Tamo]

Whales are one of my most favourite animals for many reasons. They are some of the most efficient ecological engineers in the marine ecosystem, their poop feed plankton, they help in the trapping of excess carbon and mitigating climate change and when they are dead their carcass supports a multitude of species for years. Whales don't get enough appreciation in helping to shape our planet.

[matthewsarson]

It makes you wonder how badly other animals were indirectly affected by whaling.

[gab.lab.martins]

Oh no
Eons is rubbing off on me
I thought to myself "someone killed this whale on porpoise". I don't want to be this person.

[Emily-ckji]

Perfect timing. Finally got off work for a late lunch and I was looking for something to watch. I love new uploads on this channel. Whale Falls are fascinating events to observe.

[TedsHoldOver]

What’s with the background graduation music? Perhaps PBS wants me to feel like I accomplished something today.

[ericbrown]

Does it blow anyone else's mind that the largest animal in the history of Earth is one that's still around? That's wild to me.

[Rubrickety]

Whalefall was a really underrated Bond film.

[ulti-mantis]

2:17 "There scavengers like sharks, hag-fishes, crustaceans and worms"
*sad octopi color patterns*

[angsilaw]

I still find it so surprising that whales’ ancestors were terrestrial. It’s amazing what evolution can do.

[menkomonty]

Dead whale falls to the bottom of the ocean.
Deep sea scavengers: wE'lL tAkE yOuR eNtIrE sToCk!

[ArifRWinandar]

"Whalefall" sounds like something Hideo Kojima would put in his games.

[MaddoxLightning]

I look forward to each episode, and immensely appreciate the recognition at the end of each, of fossils discovered on tribal lands. Nia:wen!

[SFforlife]

Just shows how so much on Earth is connected to each other. Beautiful.