PRIMARY SOURCES · REPORTING · CULTURAL RECORD

ARCHIVE

The source trail behind the story. Links are preserved here so visitors can follow the evidence instead of being asked to take our word for it.

The difficult conclusion

Researchers reported that, despite broad year-round monitoring, only one call source with these characteristics was found in each season.

This is why the individual-whale interpretation became so compelling, while remaining scientifically cautious.

Primary paper

Twelve Years of Tracking 52-Hz Whale Calls

Open source →

Research archive

MBLWHOI Library record

Open source →

Primary paper

Oceanography: tracking the 52-Hz calls

Open source →

Later research

Hybrid whale context (Jefferson et al. 2021)

Open source →

WHOI

A Lone Voice Crying in the Watery Wilderness

Open source →

WHOI image

Oceanus 52-Hz graphic

Open source →

News

Lonely whale’s song remains a mystery — New Scientist

Open source →

News

New York Times, December 21, 2004

Open source →

Longform

52 Blue — The Atavist Magazine

Open source →

Archived article

Discovery Animal News (2012)

Open source →

Book / essay

“52 Blue,” Make It Scream, Make It Burn — Leslie Jamison

Open source →

Reference

List of whale vocalizations

Open source →

Submit a source

Found a paper, recording, photograph, correction, or archived article that belongs here?

Send it to the archive