Scientists have discovered a new species of whale that has somehow remained incognito for the past 50 million years. The whale, informally named Karasu, has been the Bigfoot of the sea since a crew of Japanese whalers in the Nemuro Strait 70 years ago reported a fleet of whales that resembled smaller, darker versions of Baird's whale — hence the name Karasu, which translates to "raven" in Japanese.
The whale resurfaced (literally) last June on a beach on the Pribilof Islands in Alaska's Bering Sea. A local biologist spotted the remains and called in a team of experts who handed it over to Phillip Morin and his team at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations Southwest Fisheries' Science Center.
"We don't know how many there are, where they're typically found, anything," Morin told National Geographic. The scientists compared the whale's DNA to 178 other species and after a year of work, realized they had discovered an entirely new species. Karasu will now be subject to extreme stalking by ocean nerds, as they attempt to learn more about its mysterious existence.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Jaguar Land Rover’s cyber bailoutTalking Point Should the government do more to protect business from the ‘cyber shockwave’?
-
Russia: already at war with Europe?Talking Point As Kremlin begins ‘cranking up attacks’ on Ukraine’s European allies, questions about future action remain unanswered
-
Crossword: October 5, 2025The Week's daily crossword puzzle
-
US tipped to help Kyiv strike Russian energy sitesSpeed Read Trump has approved providing Ukraine with intelligence for missile strikes on Russian energy infrastructure
-
Netanyahu agrees to Trump’s new Gaza peace planSpeed Read At President Trump's meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, they agreed upon a plan to end Israel’s war in Gaza
-
Russia is ‘helping China’ prepare for an invasion of TaiwanIn the Spotlight Russia is reportedly allowing China access to military training
-
Moldova gives decisive win to pro-EU partySpeed Read The country is now on track to join the European Union within five years
-
Interpol arrests hundreds in Africa-wide sextortion crackdownIN THE SPOTLIGHT A series of stings disrupts major cybercrime operations as law enforcement estimates millions in losses from schemes designed to prey on lonely users
-
UK, 3 Western allies recognize Palestinian stateSpeed Read Britain, Canada, Australia and Portugal formally recognized the state of Palestine
-
Russia slams Kyiv, hits government buildingSpeed Read This was Moscow's largest aerial assault since launching its full-scale invasion in 2022
-
China's Xi hosts Modi, Putin, Kim in challenge to USSpeed Read Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and other Asian leaders at an SCO summit
