Can a museum specimen ever truly be considered perfect?
In this episode of The 'Perfect' Specimen, hosts Josh and Natalie explore the Natural History Museum's vast collection to find objects that embody the concept of being 'elusive'. They examine the challenges of preserving everything from the squishy to the noxious.
Drawing from the Natural History Museum's massive archive of over 80 million objects—including dinosaur bones, meteorites, and a giant squid—the hosts search for specimens that match a single prompt. This episode focuses on the theme of elusiveness, investigating whether a specimen can be defined by its exuberance, its squishiness, or even its noxious nature.
Beyond the search for perfection, the episode delves into the darker side of ichthyology, sharing stories of nefarious history tied to specific fish specimens.
Source: Why can no-one remember the time they used fish as candles? | The 'Perfect' Specimen Ep19
