I had an amazing experience the other day.  Our mammalogy class had the privilege of a tour of the NHM’s research warehouse for whales and other marine mammals.  The leading whale expert gave us a tour and told us all about his work.  The warehouse stores thousands of tissue samples, bones, organs, fetuses etc.. all for research purposes and their museum collections on display.  Most of the research is centered on conservation.  They are the first to be called any time a whale is killed/washed ashore, they go and collect the body and bring it in for study.  The huge warehouse was like a whale graveyard.  Spooky, sad but beautiful.  Quite an experience and I was honored to see how they work.  Well, I have a ton of photos to share but I will only be able to post the coolest right now- I have 2 tests next week!  Here is a Great Blue Whale skull collected 30 years ago after it had an accident with a ship and was killed instantly.  As you probably know, these incredible creatures are the largest animal that has ever lived on Earth.. bigger than any known dinosaur.   Also, another interesting fact-  see that shellac like substance?  That’s grease and fat.  Whale bones are so greasy they can ooze it for many years after death.  This one for 30 years!