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ROGUE KILLER ORCAS?

Friday, March 22, 2024

In today’s newsletter, we document newly found open-ocean killers, discover why a mob killed a brilliant woman philosopher … and see a universe of living things inside a single drop of water.

A killer whale splashes as it comes down from a jump in water

PHOTOGRAPH BY SLATER MOORE PHOTOGRAPHY

Scientists are puzzled. What are these killer orcas (pictured above) doing in the open Pacific? A “rogue” pod so far from the coast had never been studied before.

First off, these orcas are bold. They’ve attacked nine sperm whales, separating one from the pack and killing it. They also carry mysterious scars. Here’s what we know.

NEWLY FOUND KILLERS

Related: When orcas attack encroaching humans—and why some people want nature to ‘fight back’
Watch: Orca grandmother defeats great white shark with one blow

STORIES WE’RE FOLLOWING

A painting shows a woman in white robes facing forward

PHOTOGRAPH BY ALAMY

She was a brilliant philosopher. Why was she (depicted above) murdered by a mob?

Who, or what, convinced the world that diamonds were special?

Is 4,000, 10,000, 15,000 the new magic number? How many steps do you actually need every day?

An archaeologist suspected something special was buried here. Here’s what she found.

What is causing these fish off Florida to start spinning—and keep doing so until they die? (Free article

Can people really flip cars and fight bears? Maybe sometimes.

Just discovered: the largest volcano in the solar system (Free article)

This 6-foot-long, 200-pound catfish is a goliath—and makes an epic migration (Free article)

Biologist Frans de Waal, who championed animal intelligence and emotion, dies at 75

WHAT IN THE WORLD?

A man cleans a carpet on large stones, flowers are in bloom under a blue sky.

PHOTOGRAPH BY KIANA HAYERI, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC IMAGE COLLECTION

The centuries-old tradition … spring cleaning. As much of the world ushers in the warmer temperatures of spring, societies worldwide take part in the seasonal deep cleanse of individual homes. (Pictured above, a man washes a rug.) What influenced this behavior in the first place? And which holiday does NOT have a spring clean-up aspect?

A. Maundy Thursday
B. Nowruz
C. Passover
D. St. Patrick’s Day

CLICK FOR THE ANSWER

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Two radiolarians, measuring about 700 microns across, drift inside sea water droplets.

PHOTOGRAPH BY ANGEL FITOR

On World Water Day, we are gaining a new perspective on the lifeline of organisms within a single drop. Photographer Angel Fitor’s micro images depict the minuscule organisms that make up a universe of their own (pictured above). See what’s in your water.

A WORLD OF WATER

Related:
—The life-giving waters of the Okavango Delta
—In your backyard: How farmers in the Colorado River Basin are dealing with climate-induced water shortages

Today’s soundtrack: Be Like Water, PJ Morton (feat. Stevie Wonder, Nas)

Stay safe this weekend! This newsletter has been curated and edited by Nancy San Martín, Nishita Naga, and David Beard. Know someone who might want our newsletter? Here’s the signup.

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