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Have you ever cracked open a bottle of rum or whiskey at the end of the day? What if, instead, we uncorked a century-old bottle to explore a time capsule of ocean life and solve a mystery about extinction? Cheers, science fans; sit back while we distill two neat breaking news stories where science and spirits overlap. 

Scientists recently sequenced DNA from fish preserved in jars of rum, whiskey and gin collected from the Philippines dating back to 1907. Against all odds, the alcohol kept the fish tissue intact enough for modern genetic analysis—turning old bar-shelf spirits into scientific gold.

When compared to modern populations, these “boozy fish” revealed that genetic diversity near coastal cities has dropped by around 4%, while remote populations stayed far more stable. That missing diversity means these species could be less able to adapt to our continued water pollution, warming oceans and increasing habitat loss.

The study highlights how sometimes even quirky museum collections can quietly record environmental change over a full century. Meanwhile, another team used ancient DNA, preserved in whiskey, to solve a mystery haunting museums for 180 years: the fate of the last female Great Auk—a flightless seabird hunted to extinction in 1844. By extracting genetic material from whiskey-soaked organs and matching it to other preserved specimens around the globe, they were able to pinpoint which taxidermy mount was was in fact the very last great auk to have lived.

This not only solved a long-standing puzzle but underscored the immense value of preserved specimens—even those kept in dusty drawers or jars of booze. Together, these discoveries show how science can resurrect lost voices from the past, using nothing more than curiosity, patience and a little preserved alcohol. They remind us that evolution’s symphony depends on variation—kind of like the same way music thrives on small shifts in tone, rhythm and texture. And they prove that every sample, including those soaked in rum or whiskey, tells us more about the greater story of life, survival, loss and change.

So next time you raise a glass, remember—somewhere in a museum basement, fish floating in rum and birds sealed in jars are still whispering secrets about the world we’ve made and the one we might yet save. Here’s a toast for your next cocktail party: to knowledge!