ScienceAugust 17, 2026
cetaceans
si-TAY-shunz
Definition
An order of aquatic mammals that includes whales, dolphins, and porpoises.
Etymology
Derived from the Latin 'cetus' (meaning 'whale' or 'large sea monster') and the Greek 'ketos'. It entered English in the early 19th century as a scientific term for this group of marine mammals.
In the news
The article mentions cetaceans as animals that rely on sound for activities like navigation and communication, and whose movements were historically difficult to track until the advent of passive acoustic sensors.
Worm munch matters: the new acoustic ecology of the soil
Read the full article ↗Aeon