Inside the Whale Warehouse!

Рет қаралды 246,619

Күн бұрын

Whales are fascinating! They're also, oftentimes, absolutely gigantic-- which makes storing them in a museum collection quite challenging. We had the chance to visit the Smithsonian's "Whale Warehouse" to chat with Curator of Marine Mammals Dr. Michael McGowen, and learn more about the incredible specimens housed in this unique space.
More from the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History:
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--- What Fossils Reveal about Today's Climate Change: • What Fossils Reveal ab...
This video is brought to you through a collaboration with the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., and the Field Museum, in Chicago, IL.
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Producer, Writer, Creator, Host:
Emily Graslie
Producer, Camera, Director:
Sheheryar Ahsan
Producer, Editor, Graphics:
Brandon Brungard
Camera:
Katie Cleary
Interview with:
Dr. Michael McGowen, Curator of Marine Mammals, NMNH
Special thanks:
Jim Wood, Ryan Lavery, Anna Torres
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This episode is filmed on location at the Smithsonian's Museum Support Center in Suitland, MD, and the Field Museum in Chicago, Illinois.
www.fieldmuseum.org
naturalhistory.si.edu/

Пікірлер: 350

@zachwinfield7807 5 жыл бұрын

I love this video as I am one of the researchers using whale earwax and baleen. If you are interested in the results of one of the earwax studies check out "Baleen whale cortisol levels reveal a physiological response to 20th century whaling". In short, it's ~150 years of stress hormone data and how the whales responded to whaling, war, the marine mammal protection act as well as the current ocean environment.

@thebrainscoop 5 жыл бұрын

WOW! Thank you so much for watching- and I'm glad you liked it! :o I'm fangirling a bit. omg your research is so cool!!! we should do a whole video just about that

@morkmon 5 жыл бұрын

@@thebrainscoop Make it happen, this sounds like an amazing subject

@patrickmccurry1563 5 жыл бұрын

That was my first thought when it was mentioned you could check stress hormones. Amazing work. I wonder how it changes during times of extensive sonar use by us.

@zachwinfield7807 5 жыл бұрын

@@thebrainscoop We would love to if you are interested. I am just one of the PhD students working on this research but I spoke with my adviser and they are interested in creating a video. I can contact you directly if you are serious. I'm fangirling about this as a possibility!

@mandas677 5 жыл бұрын

thebrainscoop I would love to watch that video!! The research sounds beyond fascinating!

@thebrainscoop 5 жыл бұрын

also can we talk about how I got to hold a freakin' NARWHAL TUSK THOUGH

@fern5430 5 жыл бұрын

yes that was great, I want to do that!

@AlthenaLuna 5 жыл бұрын

That's about as close to a unicorn horn as reality gets.

@TheLmack8 5 жыл бұрын

so cool! Was it heavy?

@emmakai2243 5 жыл бұрын

Can you do a quick video on how museums protect from fire, and other accidents?

@mybackhurts7020 5 жыл бұрын

I never realized how big they were

@besmart 5 жыл бұрын

Narwhals are mysteries of the universe, indeed

@666Tomato666 5 жыл бұрын

'causing a commotion

@JoaoPessoa86 5 жыл бұрын

@@666Tomato666 'cause they are so awesome

@joelamontagnejr7290 5 жыл бұрын

Narwhal tusks might be the swizzle sticks in the martini of the universe, but what an awesome and mysterious commotion they 'cause!

@iloveeveryone8611 5 жыл бұрын

Narwhals are related to squirrels because they’re cute. Mystery solved, you are welcome :)

@gartengeflugel924 5 жыл бұрын

This topic is so freaking interesting to me, you two could be talking for an hour straight about all the different whale morphologies and I'd still be amazed by how diverse and wonderful this group of mammals is. I must admit, after the intro I hoped to get more than a little glance at these enormous whale bones. Standing besides them really let's us estimate their astonishing size!

@MatthewSmith-sz1yq 4 жыл бұрын

Sorry, kind of late comment, but in case you wanted to be even more interested in this group of mammals, they actually evolved from a species that was kind of similar to deer! Not related to deer, but it occupied a similar niche, and were basically off-brand deer. I just love the fact that this line of creatures basically flipped off all their ancestors. Like some poor fish had to slowly crawl it's way out of the ocean, and it took eons to finally emerge onto land, let alone develop stuff like hair and legs and all that. But then these guys just threw all that hard work into the wind and were like "nope, I liked swimming better". It's the evolutionary equivalent of those kids who's parents saved a ton of money for college deciding to go try and join a band instead. (Not that there is anything wrong with that). My headcannon though is that cetaceans are the super rebellious branch of the tree of life. Like they decided they wanted to stick it to evolution.

@HEAVY_CREAM 5 жыл бұрын

ouff, I wish this episode was an hour longer

@Mivychi 5 жыл бұрын

“Can I smell it?” I love how curious you are, as otherwise I might have never heard the answer to a question I never knew I had until you asked it.

@mrdistracted42 5 жыл бұрын

I didn't know narwhal tusks were THAT BIG!!

@user-uy1rg8td1v 3 жыл бұрын

Vikings used to sell them as unicorn horns to mainland Europeans.

@KingsleyIII 5 жыл бұрын

I like the narwhal's scientific name: _Monodon monoceros._ Greek: "one tooth, one horn." Fitting, as its "horn" is its only tooth.

@pendlera2959 5 жыл бұрын

"One tooth, one horn" sounds so poetic. Someone needs to write a long folksy ballad about narwhals.

@ShaudaySmith 5 жыл бұрын

The vaquita skull made me literally say, "oh no.." aloud, when he brought it out. I've been following the slow demise of the dolphin that straight LOOKS LIKE A PUPPY for the last couple years. The straight lack of F's the mexican government and most of it's fishing communities that have devastated its population is truly heartbreaking. As with the white rhino... let's all say goodbye to the vaquita.

@pendlera2959 5 жыл бұрын

The saddest thing is that the fishermen have an incentive to kill off the vaquita because then the fishing restrictions protecting them would be removed. Just an awful situation that should have been addressed decades ago, but now it's probably too late.

@basilmemories 5 жыл бұрын

same, last i heard there was 100 left, and i had a tiny sliver of hope. now though... welp. we better work on that cloning tech.

@Chief2Moon 4 жыл бұрын

Shauday Smith Commercial fishing nets result in the wasteful destruction of a wide spectrum of unreported non target species, this is fact.

@kirstenmeltesen315 5 жыл бұрын

These videos are so important to me because I keep seeing this shift towards genetic technology and a movement away from curating and managing natural history collections which I feel like is such a mistake. Natural history is so important for these exact reasons! Who knows what information we may be able to glean from specimens collected in this century and others?

@dirkbonesteel 5 жыл бұрын

I agree with you upvote and all, but I do wonder if we are approaching a time when we can scan, weigh, and DNA sample the little guys. We aren't there yet, 10 years maybe? But I would like a time when an accurate image and predictive profile could be done. Can't help but think about the children of all the samples and other overly dramatic thoughts. Plus it wouldn't have to depend on a rare super devoted person running into just the right collection at just the right time

@Sunila_DragonladyCH 5 жыл бұрын

Natural history museums aren’t going anywhere. We are stronger than ever with more professionalism and more conservation efforts than ever. But also becoming more accessible to the general public and fulfilling our educational purpose. It it a fight I admit, you constantly have to convince politicians of this importance but most of them are open minded. The closing thought here is out credo « no matter how old, every item is important ». Our job is to make sure future generations have all the tools to make their lives better.

@Brainstorm69 5 жыл бұрын

How cool is that echolocation antenna on that river dolphins head?!

@BlueAloe47 5 жыл бұрын

I work in a museum in Alaska, and a couple years ago our mammals collection staff salvaged the skeleton of a humpback whale that washed up on shore. It's still being processed (with the beetles), but there are a lot of conversations about where the heck they're going to store it. Our collections space isn't THAT big...

@Nirrrina 5 жыл бұрын

Maybe you could coat it in something to protect it and then display it outside. Maybe under a carport type thing even. It might also help to draw visitors in.

@Inucat 5 жыл бұрын

This is such a weird coincidence. The university I studied at has a veterinary department that *just* finished working on a whale that was stranded in the north of Germany in 2016 , as there aren't that many unis in Germany with a veterinary program one of the whales was given to the Gießen university to work on. Plus the natural history museum in Frankfurt (Senkenberg), one of my favorite museums as a child and also the place where I practiced walking as a child, just put up a new model of a baby whale. They have this big area where, besides the dinosaurs, they also have whale things, like a preserved embryo that was cut in half. I have always loved learning about whales

@XSpImmaLion 5 жыл бұрын

ROFL, I love that the leech dance got incorporated into the intro. xD

@Tassadar237 5 жыл бұрын

Hey Ehmee! I’d love to see an episode about “backyard” birds, and what sort of research or science is done with or about them. (I know you love your bird-feeders). Does the Field Museum have records of things like changing migratory ranges of such birds? Did there used to be common backyard birds that are now rarely seen? What birds are being more commonly seen that used to be rare or only accidentals?

@thebrainscoop 5 жыл бұрын

this is a great idea!! thank you~

@DessertGeek 5 жыл бұрын

When I was in undergrad, I (very) briefly worked in a museum photographing dolphin skulls for a project. At one point we couldn't find a bone, so we decided to look in the whale cabinets, which mainly housed vertebrae. They were massive, and haunting in a way I can't really explain. This brought me back. Keep doing awesome things!

@Jacquobite 5 жыл бұрын

Some owls have asymmetrical ear openings for directional hearing. Similar to the sperm whale.

@coreywoods6549 5 жыл бұрын

Took me 20 minutes to watch the video because I kept being too fascinated not to stop and google pictures

@erin3 5 жыл бұрын

So cool! I love whales. I am going to hear you speak when you come to the University of Minnesota in January. Very excited!

@joelamontagnejr7290 5 жыл бұрын

So you'll smell the dolphin skin and the ambergris but you won't smell the whale's ear wax. I suppose you have to draw the line somewhere. Thanks for everything, Emily! :)

@zachwinfield7807 5 жыл бұрын

It does not smell good. Combo of rotting fish/flesh with the hint of the ocean. Depends on how it was preserved as well.

@joelamontagnejr7290 5 жыл бұрын

Zach W - Well, that’s off the menu. How about ambergris gelato.

@zachwinfield7807 5 жыл бұрын

@@joelamontagnejr7290I've not handled ambergris. I expect it would taste musky. I did however picture it as a frozen yogurt topping, one that I would not use. It would be expensive and illegal in the US and Australia.

@cait_o_saurus 5 жыл бұрын

Oh man would I love to explore that place! Another one for the bucket list, as well as the Smithsonian and Field Museum of course!

@marcellusbhaskara5254 5 жыл бұрын

Whale, those are mind-baleen facts

@censusgary 5 жыл бұрын

You’re back! Just this morning, I thought to myself, “I haven’t seen Emily for quite a while. Has ‘The Brain Scoop’ shut down?” No, you were just preparing an extra-cool episode! I’m glad it still has brains on it!

@benedicteblaudeau5451 5 жыл бұрын

Your videos are always so cool ! Entertaining but also informational and helping keeping us curious but also aware of importance goal and impact of research... so yeah great videos I’m glad I found this channel but it definitly deserve more attention !

@patrickmccurry1563 5 жыл бұрын

I imagine the asymmetrical skulls help them in a similar fashion to the asymmetrical ear holes of owls. I think even we have some minor asymmetry for telling directions of sound.

@thebrainscoop 5 жыл бұрын

I hadn't made that connection but yeah!! That's a really interesting thought!

@greensteve9307 5 жыл бұрын

I had that thought too! :)

@rachela2727 5 жыл бұрын

I love this channel so much! Keep up the great work 💓

@Julia69016 5 жыл бұрын

This is the best channel on yt. I can't believe I get to watch these videos for free. Thank you so so much to Emily and the entire Brain Scoop channel. Thank you!

@dekrameht 5 жыл бұрын

Excellent content as usual!

@xoCHRISTINEox1 5 жыл бұрын

Omg I was an intern here and was working on a project to get dna out of the collections dolphin teeth! It didn’t work in the time I was there but they were still working on the method

@thewindgamer2607 3 жыл бұрын

That’s super cool

@andreev1701 5 жыл бұрын

Thank you for the amazing video. All the details can wide open any researcher mind. You let the interviewee explains as clear as possible. I have nothing else to say, I wish youtube was always like this.

@gailbolton4891 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks Emily! You are great fun to watch and hear! And you make my brain happy!

@AlexDainisPhD 5 жыл бұрын

Wow. Well this is now a bucket list destination. So so so cool!

@rksnj6797 4 жыл бұрын

This video was very interesting! I came to your channel through Caitlin Doughty's KZfaq channel. So far I've enjoyed the videos I've seen. Being a science geek kid growing up in Philadelphia, it was wonderful! With access to The Franklin Institute, Academy of Natural Sciences, the University Museum of the University of Pennsylvania, and of course, one of the coolest, The Mutter Museum! Now as an adult, I don't get out o many museums anymore. Thank you for taking us to different and interesting places!

@patrickmccurry1563 5 жыл бұрын

I wonder if anyone's done any testing for the resolution of river dolphins' echolocation compared to bottle noses'.

@elyasstephens8242 5 жыл бұрын

Hello, I love your videos!!!

@jakeanderson3625 5 жыл бұрын

WOW!!! Great video. So fantastic to see you back at it!!!!!

@Pottery4Life 5 жыл бұрын

Wonderful!! Thanks for sharing.

@sesfx3 5 жыл бұрын

I really enjoyed this video. The animations were so clear and really reinforced the audio.

@sonoraorchard6153 5 жыл бұрын

Amazing! I could watch hours of you guys showing off cetacean specimens! More please...

@mxmm572 5 жыл бұрын

oh, vids like that make my day

@benb405 5 жыл бұрын

These videos just get better and better

@IntrepidFraidyCat 4 жыл бұрын

That was very interesting! So nice to find another channel to enjoy and learn new things.

@AlleyBetwixt 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks, museums!!!

@leosantoro1852 4 жыл бұрын

I just stumbled across this channel. Love the host. shes so bubbly and entertaining to watch! =)

@meghannflair 4 жыл бұрын

My mind is blown! 🤯 That was incredibly fascinating!!

@Jay-rg3ed 5 жыл бұрын

I didn't know cetaceans were so fascinating. Great video!

@clairesavage1500 5 жыл бұрын

I have a friend who didn't think narwhals were real animals. We tried to convince her they were real and she just thought we were teasing her.

@HotelPapa100 5 жыл бұрын

Well, its scientific name has "monoceros" in it, unicorn. So there's that...

@johnblack4307 5 жыл бұрын

I once met a foreign exchange student who thought fireflies were fake until she saw them, that must be pretty cool.

@HotelPapa100 5 жыл бұрын

@@johnblack4307 Fireflies in Georgia were really a sight to behold when I spent half a year there. In central Europe there are hardly any to be found, and I personally have never seen one flying; you usually just find the rare female sitting in a bush.

@dennisstempher9684 5 жыл бұрын

Multiple mindblows! :-)

@x1101126 5 жыл бұрын

Very good video. Btw,I really enjoy your voice, it's so pleasing ^_^

@DuckettMMC 5 жыл бұрын

Wow, there is just so much to learn about things and stuff. I love learning through your videos! I have a weird love hate relationship with big animals in water (scary) but they're still so majestic and wonderful. I just don't also want to be in the water. But this would be so cool to see in person. Thank goodness for museums!

@atothayu 5 жыл бұрын

this was soooo good!!

@Dyrwen 5 жыл бұрын

These tooth morphologies are jawsome!

@thebrainscoop 5 жыл бұрын

omg yakob

@ninasoler6070 5 жыл бұрын

Wooow like, awesome video thank youuuu !

@veovmart 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks museums

@mortensen2 5 жыл бұрын

yah videos- So interesting- and I know we shouldn't comment on how people look but you are glowing- love the freckles! also, love your brain, love your manner, and love what you DO! keep it up!

@sairbear444 5 жыл бұрын

YAAAAAAAY!!!! Hi Emily, thank u!!! Made my day

@MA-th4ts 5 жыл бұрын

What the tusk!!!! So informative and uniquely intriguing....

@LoreBeast 5 жыл бұрын

ok I need to see more from this warehouse!

@mindaurra1525 5 жыл бұрын

Really cool video! And your hair looks really great here

@xaviersakurai9541 5 жыл бұрын

Two videos in one month! Yipee!

@CrankyPantss 5 жыл бұрын

That was an interesting video. Great job, Emily.

5 жыл бұрын

this is so amazing!!!

@RazorSharpClaws 5 жыл бұрын

I like the fun editing style of this one!

@veronika1159 5 жыл бұрын

THAT WAS SO COOL!!!!!

@glennpallast3131 5 жыл бұрын

Sadly it looks like we have lost one of the Vaquita Porpoise in March of this year. Awesome video, learned some new material today. Keep going Emily, you totally rock.

@HisameArtwork 5 жыл бұрын

love your videos ^^

@mokko759 4 жыл бұрын

The pygmy sperm whale's asymmetrical skull is much the same as an owl's asymmetrical skull. Owls have amazingly accurate hearing. Many species have asymmetrical ear holes that work the same way as the pygmy sperm whale's nasal passages. They are able to have incredibly accurate directional hearing because of the asymmetry. It's super cool.

@zach0520 5 жыл бұрын

You have the coolest job!

@celtgunn9775 5 жыл бұрын

Emily, of all the items I think your reaction to the ambergris made me laugh the most simply wondering how you couldn't possibly have not heard about it. I've heard of ambergris, landlocked here on the prairies of your home town. 😉

@thebrainscoop 5 жыл бұрын

I'd heard of ambergris but I thought it was created in some special organ or something! idk, but it DID smell fantastic.

@celtgunn9775 5 жыл бұрын

@@thebrainscoop Ah, Ok. Yeah I bet a chunk of ambergris would smell extra yummy like that I love musky perfume and mens cologne. Ambergris can be found in much, ~much~ larger pieces than the one the museum had. Nature fascinates me. 😁