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It sounds like it’s whale oil because: - it’s coming from the bone marrow - it has a reddish tint - the curator says the smell is reminiscent of a whaling sh
by mattkrause 2y ago
It sounds like it’s whale oil because:
- it’s coming from the bone marrow
- it has a reddish tint
- the curator says the smell is reminiscent of a whaling ship and not, say, a machine shop or oil rig.
- poulsbohemian 2y agoI think you are probably right, but then the natural question becomes - why? As in, is there something unique to this specimen and it's display? If I drive over to the aquarium in my state and examine the whale display, would it also drip?
- ekelsen 2y agoProbably not -- very few whale skeletons on display are from recently deceased whales. Just a random lookup -- the one in the London Natural History Museum is from 1891. Seems likely that when it was new it also leaked some oil?
- msds 2y agoMachine shops actually used whale oil until quite late. Much better than equivalent petroleum products until the '50s or later.