In the waters off New England, one of Earth's rarest mammals swims slowly, mouth agape. The North Atlantic right whale ...

Ever since Charles Darwin, scientists have assumed species facing the same problem often evolve similar traits. But that’s not always the case.

Small fish, crustaceans, and zooplankton feed on phytoplankton. Those creatures are then eaten by larger fish and corals, which, in turn become food for top ocean predators like sharks.

Swim along the edge of a coral reef and you'll often see schools of sleek, torpedo-shaped fishes gliding through the currents, feeding on tiny plankton from the water column. For decades ...