A hypothesis put forward nearly two centuries ago by one of the survivors of the Essex, which was sunk by a sperm whale in 1820, is gaining support from new scientific research.
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Researchers say the large fatty organ in these whales’ heads may act as a shock absorber, allowing them to ram opponents with extraordinary force.
The incident that inspired Herman Melville’s famous novel “Moby Dick” remains one of the most remarkable episodes in maritime history. On the morning of November 20, 1820, the whaling ship Essex was attacked by a giant sperm whale in the Pacific Ocean.
According to the account of Thomas Nickerson, who was just 15 at the time, he had narrowly escaped a whale attack on his boat. When he reached the main ship, he saw another sperm whale approaching at speed. The whale rammed the ship with tremendous force, briefly retreated and then returned for a second strike, which tore away the ship’s bow and sent it sinking.
About 200 years after the incident, scientific research is shedding light on the mechanism that could explain how a single animal managed to destroy a ship many times its size.
The BBC reports that one possible explanation involves the spermaceti organ, a large, fat-rich organ in the sperm whale’s head. It contains an oily substance that was once highly sought after by whalers because it was used as fuel and in the production of candles and soap.
Although the spermaceti organ has long been studied, its precise function is still not fully understood. One theory suggests that it may have evolved as a protective structure that allows whales to ram objects forcefully without sustaining serious injuries.
In a 2002 study, evolutionary biologist Dave Carrier suggested that the organ could act as a kind of battering ram, allowing whales to physically confront opponents. He argues that this behavior may have evolutionary roots, as other mammals, such as rams, also use their heads to compete.
Recent observations by ecophysiologist Alec Burslem of the University of Hawaii have recorded sperm whales ramming one another with their heads in waters near the Balearic Islands and the Azores.
In one documented case, a young male moved at around 4.5 meters per second and struck another whale with an estimated force of about 460 kilonewtons.
Burslem estimates that a fully grown sperm whale moving at the same speed could generate a force of around 1,200 kilonewtons. That force is comparable to the impact of a bus traveling at about 65 kilometers per hour.
Such a collision could cause devastating damage to a ship, particularly if the impact were concentrated on a specific part of its structure.
According to Michael Harrison, chief curator of the Nantucket Historical Association, three cases have been documented in which sperm whales attacked the main whaling ships.
Besides the Essex, a sperm whale attacked and destroyed the Ann Alexander in the South Pacific in 1851. Another incident occurred in 1902, when a sperm whale sank the Kathleen near the Galapagos Islands.
The story of the Essex, however, remains among the best known. After the sinking, the 20 crew members left the ship in three small boats, about 1,300 miles from land. Their desperate journey became one of the most harrowing accounts of survival at sea and inspired the novel “Moby Dick.”
Despite the latest findings, researchers stress that it is still unclear how often sperm whales use their heads to ram one another in the wild, and whether this is the spermaceti organ’s primary function.
Another theory suggests that the organ plays an important role in producing and directing the sounds whales use to communicate and navigate. These sounds may also give females information about the size of males, potentially influencing their choice of mate.
Researchers believe the organ may perform several functions at once. For this reason, although the story of the Essex offers an extraordinary case for understanding the power of sperm whales, many of these marine mammals’ biological secrets remain to be discovered.
