Science | May 1, 2016 5:00 am

What Does a Whale See When It Looks at You?

How the sea's most intelligent creature perceives our world


Whales and humans are both mammalian, so our eyes come from a common ancestor. If you’ve ever been on a whale watch, you know what you’re looking at—but it begs the question, “What do they see when they look back at you?” Alexis Madrigal explores the answers in this story.