ORION MAGAZINE: Orion’s Summer 2026 issue, The Deep Dive, explores humanity’s enduring relationship with cetaceans. From the violence of the whaling industry to the nuances of whale song, contributors trace our evolving entanglement with the world’s largest mammals—how we have been a threat to them in the past, our intertwined struggles in the present, and what we might do to ensure their continued survival. Rich with wonder and delight, the issue asks not only how we have shaped whales’ existence, but how they have indelibly left their mark on ours. This issue is also slightly longer than a standard issue of Orion—an invitation to dive into summer reading. Inside:

Meera Subramanian chases a glimpse of the elusive orca.

Alexis Pauline Gumbs listens for the songs of blue whales;

Vauhini Vara investigates gray whales’ rising death toll;

M Jackson unearths the voices of the women the whaling industry silenced;

Josephine Woolington attends to the sonic memory of landscapes;