Few scientists study the mysterious barnacles that live only on whales, but Mara Grunbaum (@maragrunbaum) takes us into their obscure world for Hakai Magazine. The size and shape of small oranges, these barnacles die quickly out of water and scientists don’t yet know how to breed them in a lab. But, if we could collect and study more of these creatures, and their fossils, we could learn not only about this fascinating taxon, but also about the behavior of ancient and modern whales and the changing composition of our oceans. The story is also available in audio format. Photo by Joe McKenna via Wikimedia Commons
