Scientists have recently found that the largest animals on earth, blue whales, have a preferred lateralization in their movements, and it seems to be for the left side. In a study led by Ari Friedlaender with the University of California, Santa Cruz and Oregon State University three-axis accelerometers were placed on 63 blue whales in the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary.

The scientists found that when the whales fed at 200-foot depths, where krill is most dense, they would generally make a small roll to the right. However, at the surface where a more pronounced roll is required and vision plays a greater roll, the whales showed a definite preference to roll to the left.

Frank Fish, a marine biologist of course, had this to say about the study:

“I have a lot of confidence in the data showing lateralization”.

Lateralization is the brain’s preference for one side of the body.

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