What can whales tell us about climate change?

Whales are among the largest animals to have ever lived – and
scientists are discovering they also play a big role in the
climate system. From the food they eat to where their waste and
bodies end up, whales help move carbon from the atmosphere to the
deep ocean, where it can be locked away for centuries.


This week, Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar explore what whales
can tell us about climate change – and how warming seas may be
affecting them in return. They speak to Victoria Gill, BBC
Science Correspondent, about new research analysing Antarctic
seabed samples to trace how whale populations influence long-term
carbon storage.


They also hear from Helen Czerski, physicist, oceanographer and
author of Blue Machine: How the Ocean Shapes Our World, about one
of the most surprising scientific records of all: whale earwax –
and how it reveals stress levels in the changing oceans.


Guests: Victoria Gill, BBC Science Correspondent Helen Czerski,
Professor of the Environment and Society, University College
London


Hosts: Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar Production Team: Grace
Braddock, Tom Brignell, James Piper, Diane Richardson, Nik Sindle
Editor: Simon Watts


Got a question or a comment? You can email us:
theclimatequestion@bbc.com