A surprising discovery: Copper in whale poop “We were really shocked by how much copper was in the whale poop. We initially thought, ‘oh, no, is the whale poop actually toxic?’” Bundy said.

This finding suggests that more toxins are entering the food chain, affecting marine animals, and potentially humans who rely on marine resources for food, the authors conclude.

About 50% of the air humans breathe is produced by the ocean, thanks to phytoplankton and whale waste. The Whale Poop Loop is the foundation of the marine food web and the planet's lungs.

Scientists Are Crafting Fake Whale Poop and Dumping It in the Ocean The artificial waste could fertilize the ocean and sequester carbon Sandy Ong, Hakai Magazine November 12, 2024 Get our newsletter!

The ocean is going silent. Blue whales, the gentle leviathans that swim in all but one of the world’s oceans, are the singers ...