Every so often, a fatberg-esque blob of material called ambergris washes up on a beach. These lumps, used to make perfume, can be worth thousands of dollars in countries where it is legal to collect them. But in a study published Wednesday in Biology Letters, researchers have extracted sperm whale DNA from washed-up ambergris, which is especially impressive because the studied samples floated adrift for years, aging under salt, sea and sun. The research could contribute a new understanding about the enigmatic substance and the endangered creatures that make it. But once it ages, its scent is compared with fine tobacco, or the wood in an old church.

Source: New York Times February 05, 2020 00:00 UTC