Thirty-nine years ago today, on December 27, 1986 (November 26, 1986 lunar calendar), the flu virus was first discovered in dead whales. On December 27, 1986, scientists in the United States and Canada discovered a flu virus in giant whales that committed mass suicide. Scientists say this is the first time this flu virus has been found in giant whales. This discovery will provide important clues for exploring the phenomenon of mass whale suicide. There were two mass whale suicides on Cape Cod beaches in December this year. In a whale suicide on December 3, 26 giant whales died. Scientists in the United States and Canada found the flu virus called "H4N5" in the lungs of 14 of the giant whales. Joseph Jelassi, an expert on whale suicides at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, said the virus can cause illnesses as mild as the common cold and as severe as severe respiratory illness. Robert Webster, director of the World Health Organization's Animal Laboratory in Memphis, Tennessee, said the finding was significant but very preliminary.