Could a whale swallow a human, “Whalefall” style?

"Whalefall" is a race against time, and sperm whale digestion. We get into the gooey gut science and what it took to bring it to the big screen.

In the new movie “Whalefall,” a scuba diver (Austin Abrams) gets accidentally swallowed by a sperm whale. What follows is a tense battle against time and the whale’s digestive system, to escape before his air supply runs out. 

But could a whale actually swallow a human? And how might this play out in real life? Joining Flora to weigh in are sperm whale biologist Shane Gero, and “Whalefall” director Brian Duffield. 

Wondering how you’d fare inside a sperm whale’s stomach? Read more here.

Guests:

Brian Duffield is the director of “Whalefall.” He is based in Los Angeles, California.

Dr. Shane Gero is a whale biologist and biology lead for Project CETI based in Ottawa, Ontario. 

Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at sciencefriday.com.
 

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