This object is part of the Education and Outreach collection, some of which are in the Q?rius science education center and available to see.
Notes:
This item is a 3D print of an ear wax plug from a Fin Whale. Fin Whales belong to the group of baleen whales (whales with baleen plates that serve as teeth, which help them feed on tiny plankton). These whales build up the wax in their ear canals over time, which creates the earplug. The earplugs can be used as an aging tool, as indicators of the specimen's health and stress levels, and as indicators of the health of the specimen's ecosystem, through chemical markers that are present in the earwax. This 3D print is green in color and measures approximately 11 cm x 4 cm x 2 cm in size.
