Elizabeth Wilson on Whaling at the Hop
Public Talk

Whaling and Energy

with Irving Institute Director, Elizabeth Wilson
June 22, 2019

This event occurred as part of the 18/19 Public Talk season. This is an archived view.

Irving Institute director Elizabeth Wilson on the interconnected histories of energy and whaling.

SHIFT 2019

Hear about the fascinating anatomy of whales, particularly of sperm whales like the fabled Moby Dick, and how the natural oil reservoirs in their heads help them to hunt and communicate but also made them a prime target of the whaling industry (as chronicled by Melville) in the 18th century. Today, the search for oil and gas on the ocean floor brings sonic airgun blasting that interferes with the whales’ abilities to communicate.

SHIFT ... the Conversation at the Hop
SHIFT 2019

Across the globe, humans struggle to find balance in our relationship with nature. How can a quest for dominance transform into a sustainable collaboration? In SHIFT 2019, artists take on the...

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