The blue whale might be one of the most enigmatic creatures on the planet, but the true megastars of the diving world are Cuvier's beaked whales (Ziphius cavirostris). They are capable of reaching depths of almost 3000 m, and calculations suggested that these relatively diminutive whales should only remain submerged for about 33 min before their oxygen runs out and they resort to anaerobic respiration. Yet experience told Nicola Quick and colleagues from Duke University, USA, that the shy mammals were capable of diving for far longer.