From a 19th-century explosive harpoon embedded in a bowhead to a living mammal that may live two centuries, this episode dives into the bowhead's ice-smart physiology, extraordinary lifespan, and genetic tricks that guard against cancer. We unpack their oversized mouths and four-meter baleen, the cooling radiators in the roof of the mouth, and the DNA repair mutations in ERCC1 and PCNA that promote genomic stability. We'll also explore their complex vocalizations, conservation status by region, and the looming threats of climate-driven ice loss and rising predation by orcas—a reminder of resilience facing rapid change.

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