Prehistoric whales got bent
A team of paleobiologists surveyed hundreds of modern and ancient whale skeletons for decompression syndrome, which occurs when quick pressure changes force air or fat bubbles out of blood vessels.
Such damage would have been common when whales first began plunging into the depths of the ocean, says Brian Beatty, of New York College of Osteopathic Medicine in Old Westbury, US, who led the study.