In the 1800s, whaling was a vast and brutal industry–sometimes as deadly for the sailors involved as it was for the whales. And the global epicenter of whaling could be found in New Bedford, MA. All this slaughter wasn’t to feed hungry people with whale meat. It was about all the things people could make

This 99% Invisible podcast touches on the history of mechanical lubrication, from vegetable oils to whale blubber to modern synthetics. Featuring Bill Nye the Science Guy, who is apparently a direct descendant of William Foster Nye, the founder the Nye Lubricants.