Playing the sounds of whales during a class period can initiate the awareness of the role of wonder in education. Students are inspired to avidly collect fascinating facts to pique their interest and open the door to learning science. Indeed, when asked, teachers typically identify their foremost practical challenge as trying to motivate today's often disaffected students. Aesthetic perspectives help contextualize scientific concepts and promote more meaningful learning. As illustrated in the opening scenario of this article, however, listening to whales may serve another purpose quite apart from leveraging attention to conceptual lessons about whales or their conservation. Imagine instead that the intended lesson is the experience itself. Appreciating nature, its organisms, and the world around us. The aesthetics of living things matter in motivating biological research, and so they have a place when teaching about the nature of science. Aesthetic experiences open awareness for students, from self-understanding to possible careers in science. Wonder matters to science. Whale songs are only one way to foster a deeper appreciation of living things, as a potential prelude to scientific inquiry. Aesthetics are vitally important to motivating and guiding scientific research, and for teaching science fully.