Whales are mighty. Blue whales, for example, aren’t only the largest animal on Earth, but as far as we know, they’re the largest animal that’s ever existed on Earth—and that includes dinosaurs.

Whales may be known as gentle giants, but they still have a looming presence as the world’s loudest and largest animals. The Antarctic blue whale can weigh up to 400,000 pounds and stretches to 98 ...