The most common methodology employed by members of the lab is the analysis of stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic compositions by EA-IRMS. Below are the records for the lowest and highest delta values recorded by year. Samples must be from an identifiable taxon.

2017

46 - Polar bear

δ15N = +25.25 ‰

8 - Lemming

δ15N = +0.32 ‰

12069 - Swordfish

δ13C = −9.60 ‰

459 - Llama/alpaca

δ13C = −22.23 ‰

2017

788 - Polar bear

δ15N = +25.01 ‰

546 - Algarrobo

δ15N = +1.76 ‰

559 - Maize

δ13C = −9.31 ‰

560 - Guava

δ13C = −27.44 ‰

2017

5420 - Yellow perch

δ13C = −29.45 ‰

7334 - Sheepshead

δ13C = −5.67 ‰

2486 - White-lipped snail

δ15N = −1.73 ‰

5141 - Polar bear

δ15N = +23.20 ‰

Voted on by lab members as the coolest sample analyzed in a calendar year.

527 - Vizcacha fleece

A fleece sample made from the hair of the vizcacha. This sample comes from a site in the Pampa del Tamarugal in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile that was occupied by hunter-gatherers ~11,500 years ago.

You can read more about this sample in this paper.

604 - Narluga

A sample of bone from the world's only confirmed beluga-narwhal hybrid (the 'narluga') from Disko Bay (West Greenland). This specimen is housed at the  Zoological Museum in Copenhagen.

You can read more about this sample in this paper.

5295 - Double-tusked narwhal

A sample of bone from a rare narwhal with two very large tusks. This specimen is housed at the  Zoological Museum in Copenhagen.

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