1. sciencecenter: What is this thing, and how old is it? The answer to the first question is easy. It’s an explosive lance tip, used to harpoon whales. The second question is pretty easy too. The lance, which was patented in 1879, is over 100 years old. It has been safe and snug for that whole time, as it was embedded in the head of a bowhead whale until 2007, when it was found during a dissection. Whales are very difficult to age (we currently age them by measuring proportions of proteins in the eye lens), but this piece of evidence is the latest and most direct for the astounding age of whales. They’re believed to live up to 200 years.

    sciencecenter:

    What is this thing, and how old is it?

    The answer to the first question is easy. It’s an explosive lance tip, used to harpoon whales.

    The second question is pretty easy too. The lance, which was patented in 1879, is over 100 years old. It has been safe and snug for that whole time, as it was embedded in the head of a bowhead whale until 2007, when it was found during a dissection.

    Whales are very difficult to age (we currently age them by measuring proportions of proteins in the eye lens), but this piece of evidence is the latest and most direct for the astounding age of whales. They’re believed to live up to 200 years.

    1. zacdeforge reblogged this from sciencecenter
    2. misdemeanors reblogged this from sciencecenter
    3. unicornvamp3z reblogged this from aliquot
    4. rislachius reblogged this from sciencecenter
    5. brendazhang reblogged this from manbabyzine
    6. manbabyzine reblogged this from sciencecenter
    7. leavethetrees reblogged this from sciencecenter
    8. mothbones reblogged this from sciencecenter
    9. timeywimeyhermione reblogged this from sciencecenter
    10. inb4shitstorm reblogged this from steveisoncrack
    11. shannopunk reblogged this from steveisoncrack and added:
      I wonder how old Free Willy is.
    12. youvedonethefucking reblogged this from steveisoncrack
    13. kikicube reblogged this from steveisoncrack
    14. steveisoncrack reblogged this from sciencecenter
    15. ithinkigrewagray reblogged this from sciencecenter
    16. extracheesetopleasemyknees reblogged this from sciencecenter
    17. honeydipss reblogged this from sciencecenter and added:
      years :o the blog where I got this from is so interesting I can’t stop reading it!
    18. listen-look-feel reblogged this from sciencecenter and added:
      years! Holy. Crap.
    19. iamdeathconvoy reblogged this from sciencecenter
    20. serendiposaurus reblogged this from sciencecenter
    21. scruffy-the-janitor reblogged this from sciencecenter
    22. tutmondigo reblogged this from thecaleb
    23. aliquot reblogged this from sciencecenter
    24. thecaleb reblogged this from sciencecenter and added:
      disgusting all at
    25. darkstarnovember reblogged this from sciencecenter
    26. keeplaugh reblogged this from sciencecenter
    27. weallwannaparty reblogged this from sciencecenter
    28. artemisorthia reblogged this from sciencecenter
    29. grammarpolicehq reblogged this from sciencecenter
    30. medicarehimself reblogged this from sciencecenter and added:
      only people who actively defend them are complete idiots?
    31. katwin reblogged this from sciencecenter
avatar_128
Page 1 of 1

Following