50 Years Ago

50 years ago, scientists thought a desert shrub might help save endangered whales

Excerpt from the March 25, 1972 issue of Science News

a photo of a jojoba shrub branch of with green acorn shaped seeds hanging off of it

The unique chemistry of sperm whale oil is almost unmatched — except for in the seeds of a desert shrub called jojoba (shown).

Ken Bosma/Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

By Maria Temming

- More than 2 years ago

Shrub may save the sperm whale – Science News, March 25, 1972

Cover of the March 25, 1972 issue of Science News

The sperm whale is an endangered species.