Hey there, it's Stephen Dubner. We are taking a couple weeks off around here. So we are replaying for you, our 2023 series, Everything You Never New About Whaling. This is part two of the series. You don't need to have heard part one to enjoy this one, but if you want to listen to that one first, it is right there in your podcast app.

We have updated facts and figures when necessary.

As always, thanks for listening.

I've never eaten whale, as far as I know.

Have you?

Yes, I'm afraid, if I dare to say that on American radio, but yes, I have.

Bjorn Basberg is an economic historian at the Norwegian School of Economics in Bergen.

Bergen is the second largest city in Norway. 100 years ago or more, it was the capital of Norway and the people in Bergen. Bergen is the second largest city in Norway.

100 years ago or more, it was the capital of Norway, and the people in Bergen, they tend to think that they are still the capital.

Basberg recently retired from his teaching position.

Actually, in Norway, it's mandatory, so I turned 70.

That's a mandatory age of retirement.

You have more time for whaling expeditions, at least?

Not whaling expeditions, but maybe expeditions.

I go to Antarctica once in a while to at least study the whaling heritage there.

I've been actually for 30 years now involved with industrial archaeology projects in Antarctica,

especially the sub-Antarctic island

of South Georgia that was, for many years, a center of Antarctic whaling.

So Basberg's primary activity around whaling is research, but as we heard, he has also eaten

his share.

It tastes quite good if you put it on the barbecue, on the grill.

It's like a beef, so it's tasty.

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