Very valuable vomit.

• Position: Mammals - Ambergris - Brief article

When his dog poked at a seven-pound smelly rock on a beach in northwest England, Ken Wilman didn't realize they'd stumbled on a treasure. The rock is ambergris, a $1,000-a-pound substance produced in the intestines of I percent of sperm whales; it helps those with an intestinal disorder to digest prey. Starting as a liquid, ambergris takes 10 to 20 years to solidify into a waxy rock. It's been used for centuries in medicines, food flavoring, and luxury...