Natural history museum collections are a valuable resource in the study of evolution, and allow us to look into past populations, some of which are now extinct
Whale, whale, whale, what do we have here? DNA analysis reveals the origins of a curious object
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PhD candidate Caitlin Mudge outlines how a research team used DNA and radiocarbon dating to establish the species and age of a very strange artefact that had mystified museum staff for more than a decade.
Recent advances in ancient DNA techniques have provided a powerful new tool for researchers in their hunt for answers, which often leads to surprising discoveries. For example, DNA analysis of an 18th-century garment’s corset boning – made from whale baleen – revealed the existence of an extinct, previously undescribed, North Atlantic lineage of right whales (Eubalaena glacialis). A similar case is that of a mysterious artefact whose age and origin baffled Australian National Maritime Museum staff for more than 10 years.
MUSEUMS ACROSS AUSTRALIA house many unique and fascinating artefacts that reflect past societies and cultures. Until the invention of plastic and synthetic materials, many everyday items such as tools, clothing, jewellery and furniture were made using parts from animals and plants. Identifying the source of the organic material used in these items is important in shaping our understanding of past interactions between different cultures and their environment. Often the source of these organic materials is easy to identify: for example, kāhu kiwi (kiwi feather cloak), which was worn by Māori people of New Zealand, consists of kiwi feathers woven into dyed muka (flax fibre). When the material is heavily modified or the source organism is obscure, however, this can be much more challenging.
In 2006, the unusual artefact was anonymously donated to the museum. Researchers quickly concluded that it was an electric lamp, as it was fitted with a light bulb and mounted on a wooden plinth. However, the material used to make the lampshade was mysterious. Staff could tell it was organic, but it must have originated from a very large animal, because it was 1.2 metres tall. In 2017, images of the unusual object were sent to Catherine Kemper at the South Australian Museum, who specialises in marine mammals. Cath was able to determine that the specimen was the male reproductive organ of a large whale, but not which species of whale it came from. Not surprisingly, reproductive organs in whales have been poorly researched1 – but still, the mystery was one step closer to being solved.
Signals 133 Summer 2020–21
