Blue whales on a Faroer Stamp
Okay, this story is a little gross. Or maybe a lot. But because it’s about whales, I really have to share it here.
It’s also about earwax. In the ear tubes of blue whales. Ugh.
But you see, that ear plug, as the scientists call it, is deposited throughout a whale’s life. And it faithfully reflects the hormones, nutrients and poisons such a whale has coursing through its body throughout its entire life. And that’s quite a record, after all, those giants can live for decades.
And now, they have analysed the ear plug of a fairly young whale that was washed ashore after being killed by a ship stike (Luahine, anyone?). And what they found was … well, is a little shocking for me. Continue reading
