A recent article in Science suggests that the number of whales before hunting started was much larger than anyone has suspected. These controversial results originated from calculations on genetic variation among today's whales. Peter Beerli at SCS developed the method and the computer tool used in the study.

The Earth's magnetic field is a subtle clue to a turbulent past, when sheer gravitational pressure melted rock, separating out the heavier iron and nickel which sank inward, forming a metallic spinning core. Measurements of the resulting magnetic field are almost like X-rays, allowing a glimpse of the position and mass of the underlying metallic "bones" of Earth.