Barnacles Reveal Whale's Travel History

NSF-funded researchers at the University of California, Berkeley have discovered that the sticky barnacles that hitch rides on the backs of humpback and gray whales record details about the whales’ yearly travels and also retain this information long after they’ve ditched their ride and become fossilized.

[tinahamilton]

I'm sure the whales would be happy to be rid of the barnacles no matter what information they record. They look like misery.

[TateMorphous]

If the whales stay still for just 10 minets I will scrape all those disgusting barnicles off

[lisa]

I just want to tell the whale if you stay still for a few minutes I'll get them off of you.

[nelo]

Those barnacles give me tripofobic problems

[patriciatreslove]

I hate those barnacles, if I ever get the chance I will help get them off and not just put them back in the water to hitch a ride with another swimmer. You would have plenty to say if they started attaching themselves to you

[dracus]

Barnacles has the world's strongest super glue

[Tantemify]

looking at those barnacles makes me feel itchy

[Knappa]

I would love it if it would be possible to keep the whale still without harming it or making it stressed, then let me at those barnacles!! The satisfaction of removing them!

[jasonhawk]

QUESTION, DO, DO BARNACLES ATTACH, AFTER THEY ARE BORN? OR DO WHALES STAY IN ONE SPOT LONG ENOUGH FOR THEM TO ATTACH THEMSELVES

[diddyxl]

Ok, I'd like to rip them off the sea creatures. Don't they cause drag and become a nuisance? Can't they get into orifices?

[thandpearl]

How about helping the whales by removing the barnicules for them!!!!

[frankiejean]

That’s nice about the information but they creep me out big time. Yuck!

[bkirstie]

I feel so badly for whale covered with barnacles

[waffledude]

Barnacles have one of the largest dong-to-body ratio of any animal.

[tammiea]

How much radiation have they found? Fukushima is still pouring tons of radioactive waste into the ocean. High amounts of cesium have been found in fish off the Fukushima coast.

[eesitagos]

But who will rid them of the barnacles?!! They are not passing turtles !😐

[lealovesthesea]

I would use a barnacle scraper and sit there all day helping.

[jenniferkerger]

I've seen the videos of fishermen, marine biologists, and just random people that just want to help the sea turtles by cleaning all of the nasty barnacles off of them and they say that they can actually kill the turtles so I wonder what they do different on the turtles??¯\_(ツ)_/¯🐢🌊🐳🐋

[aldorivas]

Don’t those nasty things make them Itchy ?

[floraaficianado]

Amazing information locked in the lowly barnacle unleashed by science!