Blubber is a wobbly sort of word, perfect for describing the thick layer of fat cells that lies under the skin of whales, seals, penguins, manatees and other marine animals.
Terrestrial animals keep out the cold with fur or feathers, which trap a layer of warm air against the skin. In water, though, the pressure forces out the air.
Theoretically, a furry marine animal could trap a layer of warm water but that would require much more energy to heat compared to the same volume of air. So marine animals shroud themselves in a layer of insulating fat instead. Not only does blubber keep the warmth in, it also serves as a store of energy and a buoyancy aid.
Unfortunately for whales, blubber has had its uses for humans, too. In the days before fossil fuels, much of our lighting and heating was fuelled by blubber-derived whale oil. It has been argued that the advent of fossil fuels was the beginning of the end for the whaling industry. But others maintain that the appearance of fossil fuel-powered whaling vessels only made things worse.
What's the difference between blubber and fat?
Blubber is much thicker and contains more blood vessels than the fat found in other animals – that's because blubber is made up of a higher mix of collagen fibres and lipids. Unlike fat, blubber serves another purpose of acting as a buoyancy aid for animals.
Main image: close up of a humpback whale/Getty
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