A new study on whale migration contains some colorful information on how important the giant creatures are to stabilizing the environment. Their excrement fertilizes the oceans, according to the World Wildlife Fund report. Whale poop promotes the growth of phytoplankton, which in turn produces half of the world’s oxygen. Half. Also, whales, which eat quite a lot, capture a great deal of carbon, the same amount as thousands of trees.

Bottom line: Whales aren’t just impressive creatures who pass by our islands. They’re doing us favors in ways we never imagined.

Wasabi (the real kind) under threat

Yet another victim of environmental change: wasabi. Growth of the treasured Japanese plant, which brings a distinctive pungency to all it touches, is down more than 50% from a decade ago. To blame: changes in the water supply wrought by climate change and overgrowth in the mountains where the water originates.

Not to fear, the bright green wasabi served with most sushi is really a facsimile made of horseradish and mustard, and that remains in good supply. It would be a shame, though, to lose the real thing.