Ambergris (a.k.a. “floating gold”): what it is—and why it’s so prized

Ambergris is a rare, waxy substance that forms inside the intestines of sperm whales. For centuries it was called whale “vomit,” but modern research points to a digestive by-product—closer to a biliary or fecal concretion—that helps protect the whale’s gut from hard, indigestible squid beaks. M...