So when a dead blue whale washed ashore in Trout River, Newfoundland, last week, the Internet had to know: Would it explode? Helpfully, one expert made us a handy web site: hasthewhaleexplodedyet.com.

Blue whales are the largest mammals in the world, and they spend much of their lives roaming the deep ocean, where they feed on vast amounts of krill. Blue whales usually inhabit the open sea and are ...