The ocean has killed more billionaires than the Moon has.
this post was submitted on 08 Apr 2025
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Whales suffocate to death; they don’t drown.
Human breathing is controlled by the autonomic nervous system. We have to hold our breath on purpose to stop ourselves from automatically breathing. This makes us passive breathers. Whales, however, are active breathers. They must choose to inhale which is why they can sleep without sucking in air. When they get too old, sick, or weak to surface, they suffocate.
Bonus fact: whales can’t breathe through their mouths; it goes straight to the stomach. The blowhole is the only respiratory tract.
Bonus bonus: a blue whale’s throat is so small it could choke to death on a grapefruit.
Bonus bonus: a blue whale’s throat is so small it could choke to death on a grapefruit.
I'm sure their throat can be blocked that way; but if they can't breathe through their mouth anyway, is it actually choking? Or just terminally blocked?
Fair point. I didn’t even consider the ramifications of wording it like that instead of just saying it has a small throat. I tend to use analogies a lot
Nah, it makes sense, and ice heard this phrasing before - just always wondered if they meant the poor whale couldn't breathe, or basically just had indigestion!
4" / 10cm throat
The Blue Whale is so large, that if you laid one out on a standard NBA basketball court, the game would be postponed.
Billy Ocean has an honorary doctorate of music from the University of Westminster.
Did you know fish fuck in the ocean? Remember that, when you go for a swim.
Assert dominance: Fuck the fish.
Blue
Incorrect.
Wine-dark.
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