Northeast
Whale that vanished from Atlantic over 200 years ago spotted off Massachusetts: 'Shouldn't exist'
Scientists from the New England Aquarium (NEA) in Boston were flying off the coast of Nantucket on Friday when they saw a leviathan that has been extinct for over 200 years: a gray whale.
The team of scientists was flying about 30 miles south of Nantucket when they spotted the rare whale.
As the whale continued to dive and resurface as if it were feeding, the aerial survey plane continued to circle the area for 45 minutes, giving the scientists time to capture photos and make sense of what they were seeing.
The team reviewed images together and confirmed what they saw was a gray whale.
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Scientists from the New England Aquarium in Boston spotted a gray whale off the coast of Nantucket on Friday. (New England Aquarium)
“I didn’t want to say out loud what it was, because it seemed crazy,” Orla O’Brien, an associate research scientist at NEA said.
O’Brien works at the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, and has been flying aerial surveys for 13 years.
Research Technician Kat Laemmle was with O’Brien on the plane when O’Brien showed her photos while the whale went underwater.
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Scientists from the New England Aquarium in Boston spotted a gray whale off the coast of Nantucket on Friday. (New England Aquarium)
“My brain was trying to process what I was seeing, because this animal was something that should not really exist in these waters,” Laemmle said. “We were laughing because of how wild and exciting this was — to see an animal that disappeared from the Atlantic hundreds of years ago.”
While gray whales are not typically found in the Atlantic, they are regularly found in the North Pacific, according to NEA officials.
The whales are described as not having a dorsal fin while donning mottled gray and white skin and a dorsal hump. As the hump descends to the tail, a series of pronounced ridges can be visible.
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Scientists from the New England Aquarium in Boston spotted a gray whale off the coast of Nantucket on Friday. (New England Aquarium)
Despite disappearing from the Atlantic Ocean by the 18th century, the species has been making a comeback to the area. In fact, there have been five observations of gray whales in the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean waters over the past 15 years, including off the coast of Florida in December 2023.
The one spotted off the coast of Nantucket on Friday is believed to be the same gray whale observed off Florida in December.
Scientists say the strange sightings can be attributed to climate change, explaining that the Northwest Passage, which connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans through the Arctic Ocean in Canada, has been ice-free during the summers in recent years, due in part to rising temperatures across the globe.
The sea ice typically limits where the gray whales are able to travel as they are unable to break through the thick winter ice that blocks the passage, the aquarium said.
But with less ice in the passage during summer months, gray whales may be able to travel to areas not visited by the species in centuries.
“While we expect to see humpback, right, and fin whales, the ocean is a dynamic ecosystem, and you never know what you’ll find,” O’Brien said. “These sightings of gray whales in the Atlantic serve as a reminder of how quickly marine species respond to climate change, given the chance.”
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Two offensive picks bookend a linebacker and a safety on Day 3 as the Texans selected WR Lewis Bond out of Boston College with pick No. 204 in the 6th round of the draft.
At just over 5-10 and 190 pounds, Bond hauled in 213 receptions during his time at BC.
In 2025 he was fourth in the nation with 7.3 receptions per game and finished with 993 yards.
Former BC QB Thomas Castellanos called Bond an unbelievable receiver who can do it all. Castellanos described Bond as a very physical receiver who can make plays in space and break tackles, adding that he was open a lot and could have been targeted even more.
The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Indiana tight end Riley Nowakowski in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Our staff weighs in with their thoughts on the pick.
Ryland Bickley: Here’s your TE3/FB for Mike McCarthy. Nowakowski probably would’ve been a “my guy” in this draft class if I had been able to watch him more. He’s an extremely high-effort run blocker with solid mobility who should be able to find a role on offense right away. Nowakowski is a bit undersized for a tight end and his testing is just OK, but as a fullback I like the pick. We can quibble a bit with taking a returner and fullback with the team’s latest two picks, but in the fifth round you can’t complain about good football players. Grade: B+
Mike Nicastro: Nowakowski is a perfect replacement for Connor Heyward because of his versatility. He’ll play tight end, fullback, and can contribute on special teams. He played a pivotal role on Indiana’s National Championship run – the guy just feels like a winner. Although it still feels like a pick based more on need opposed to value, I like this one much better than Wetjen. Grade: B+
Alex Hanczar: Pittsburgh adds yet another big school player in the form of 2026 National Champion Riley Nowakowski. The departures of Jonnu Smith and Connor Heyward led many to believe the Steelers would add depth at the position and here it is. Aside from solely playing TE, Nowakowksi will likely fill the Heyward role at the FB position. At 6-foot-two 250 pounds, I would not be surprised to see the former Hoosier lineup under center for the ‘tush push’ for the black and gold. Grade: B
Joey Bray: Welcome back Connor Heyward. In all seriousness, Riley Nowakowski is an interesting pick for the Steelers. They needed to take another tight end, but Nowakowski is more of a fullback type. He played a blocking role for Indiana last year when he did line up a tight end, although he’s 32 catches last season were more than he had in his previous four collegiate seasons combined. Nowakowski isn’t particularly fast or dynamic and doesn’t have the size to be a legit receiving threat. He is a good football player and it makes sense that Mike McCarthy would take a fullback, but taking a return man and fullback back-to-back in the mid rounds is an curious use of resources. Grade: C-
Ryan Parish: As harsh as I was on using a 4th rounder on a kick returner-only player, I’m to the moon for this selection. I highlighted Nowakowski in my Tight End draft gems list as a perfect fit for the John Kuhn/Hunter Luepke FB role in Mike McCarthy’s offense. Nowakowski is short for a tight end but perfect for a blocker for a power run scheme. He’s also gotta decent hands and tackle-breaking ability for underneath routes that should make Aaron Rodgers happy. This was a meat and potatoes pick, and yet another sign that the Steelers are veering into a gap/power running scheme. Phenomenal fit. Grade: A++
Jarrett Bailey: The Steelers were always going to take a tight end, being that they released Jonnu Smith and didn’t bring back Connor Heyward. Nowakowski will play that Heyward role. Special teams and No. 3 tight end/fullback. Not great. Not abysmal. Fine. Grade: C
Temperatures will warm into the 50s for much of the state unless you’re at the shoreline or near the New York border.
Rain showers will begin in southwest Connecticut this afternoon before slowly spreading to the east through the evening
Much of the state will see rain tonight unless you’re in the far northeast corner of Connecticut.
A few showers could linger in southern and southeastern Connecticut tomorrow morning.
Clouds will linger through much of Sunday with temperatures in the 50s for more of the state.
Monday and Tuesday will be sunnier and seasonal with temperatures well into the 60s.
Cloud cover and rain chances return by the middle of the week.
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