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You might be familiar with the idea of spontaneous combustion, but the rare and bizarre occurrence of animals literally exploding is far less discussed. Some species intentionally self-destruct as a suicidal defense to protect the rest of their colony, while others detonate post-mortem, leading to catastrophic and messy consequences. There have even been instances where humans have used unfortunate animals as bombs during wartime. Here is our compilation of the most remarkable cases of exploding creatures (including humans) throughout history.
10. The Exploding Toads of Germany
While the image of exploding toads might seem straight out of science fiction, it’s actually a real phenomenon that was first observed in Germany in 1968, though there have been other documented cases in Belgium, Denmark, and the United States. The most infamous event of these bursting amphibians occurred in 2005 near lakes in Hamburg's Altona district. Over 1,000 toads swelled and exploded, sending their organs flying. This led to the area being dubbed the 'Pond of Death' by the media.
At first, scientists were baffled by why the toads' natural defensive reaction to expand when threatened by predators seemed to have gone horribly wrong. It was only after expert Frank Mutschmann investigated that the mystery was solved. It turned out that crows in the area were to blame. Upon examining the remains of the exploded toads, Mutschmann discovered small circular incisions on their backs, characteristic of crow beak marks. The clever crows had figured out that the toad's liver was the most desirable part to eat, so they accessed it through the back to avoid the toad's toxic skin. In response, the toads puffed up defensively. Since the liver holds the internal organs in place, its removal caused the toad's lungs to inflate uncontrollably, leading to their rupture and the explosive outcome.
9. The Self-Sacrificing Ants
The aptly named Colobopsis explodens ants, native to Borneo, have an extreme method of defending themselves from predators. These small reddish ants lack the typical defense mechanisms like stingers, but they possess a far more dramatic and explosive form of protection.
When Colobopsis explodens sense danger, they signal the threat by exposing their abdomens. If that doesn’t deter the predator, the ants clamp their jaws onto it and tighten their bodies until they burst, releasing a poisonous yellow fluid with a distinct curry-like smell. Although this form of defense is deadly for the ants involved, their sacrifice ensures the safety of the rest of the colony from being consumed.
8. The Exploding Sperm Whale
When a whale dies, gases produced during decomposition can accumulate within its carcass to the point of explosion. This is exactly what happened in Tainan, Taiwan, in 2004. The whale had been stranded on a beach and died before help could arrive. Afterward, it was decided the massive 50-ton whale would be moved to a research facility, but during the 13 hours it took to load it onto a trailer, the whale became bloated with gas.
The whale drew massive crowds of onlookers as it was transported through the city. When the whale exploded, blood sprayed everywhere, and its internal organs splattered across the street. Local residents were forced to wear masks to shield themselves from the overwhelming stench while they undertook a monumental cleanup effort. The whale was later confirmed to be the largest specimen ever found in Taiwan.
7. The Oregon Whale Explosion of 1970
The spontaneous eruption of a dead whale carcass is not as rare as one might think. However, on one memorable occasion, humans decided to lend nature a hand. When a dead whale was stranded in Florence, Oregon, in 1970, local officials had to figure out how to dispose of it. Enter highway engineer Paul Thornton, who suggested using dynamite to explode the carcass.
Thornton intended for the whale’s remains to be blown out to sea, but things didn’t exactly go according to plan. Despite a quarter-mile safety zone around the explosion, bystanders had to flee for their lives as huge chunks of the whale rocketed toward them. One piece, 'the size of a coffee table,' completely destroyed a parked car, as reported by journalist Paul Linnman, who was covering the event.
Aside from being a complete mess, Thornton’s explosive method for whale disposal was ultimately ineffective. Much of the whale remained on the beach, and it had to be buried. Nevertheless, the Oregon Whale Explosion of 1970 became a historical event and eventually evolved into one of the most-watched viral videos online.
6. Blowing Up Animal Carcasses with Explosives
If you thought Oregon’s whale explosion was a one-off event, you'd be mistaken. Using explosives to dispose of animal carcasses is actually fairly common in the United States. In fact, the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service has a guide specifically for blowing up large animal carcasses like horses, mules, and moose, titled ‘Obliterating Animal Carcasses with Explosives.’ The guide was written by Jim Tour and Mike Knodel, who holds the unusual job title of 'Region Blaster Examiner.'
The guide explains how to position explosives under the carcass in various ways to achieve either 'dispersal' or 'total obliteration,' depending on the desired outcome. It also advises readers to always consult a 'qualified blaster' before attempting to blow up any large deceased animals you may encounter.
5. Rat Bombs
During World War II, British intelligence agents concealed explosives in all sorts of unsuspecting items, ranging from bars of soap to bottles of wine. However, perhaps the most bizarre explosive device ever created was the rat bomb. Agents skinned the rats, packed them with plastic explosives, and placed them near furnaces. The idea was that a German soldier would unknowingly toss the dead rat into the furnace, triggering a deadly explosion.
Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned, and the batch of exploding rats was discovered by the German National Socialists before they could be deployed behind enemy lines. However, this discovery had an unexpected consequence that worked in the Allies’ favor. The rat bombs caused considerable alarm among German forces, leading to a great deal of time and resources spent searching for non-existent rat bombs all across Europe.
4. Bat Bombs
Rats weren’t the only animals considered for use by the Allies to bomb their enemies. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, a Pennsylvania dentist named Lytle S. Adams came up with the unconventional idea of using bats to bomb Japanese cities, inspired by his observations of the creatures while vacationing in New Mexico. He believed that bats could infiltrate all parts of the country, setting fires and causing chaos with minimal loss of life.
Surprisingly, the National Research Defense Committee supported his plan, assembling a team of experts to further develop the idea. The plan was to use Mexican free-tailed bats and equip them with tiny bombs. However, the task of using bats as bombers turned out to be fraught with challenges. For one, the bats had to be kept in hibernation by cooling them on ice during transport. A special container was also needed to release them mid-flight. In a test run, some bats were accidentally released, resulting in a hangar catching fire. Ultimately, the project was abandoned, despite the $2 million spent on developing the bat bombs.
As for Adams, his career as an inventor didn’t end there. He went on to create a series of other bizarre ideas, including bombs hidden in seed packets and a vending machine that dispensed fried chicken.
3. William the Conqueror
The story surrounding the funeral of William the Conqueror is one of the most absurd and tragic. There are various accounts of his death, with some suggesting he fell ill and collapsed from exhaustion during battle, while others claim his large stomach pressed against his saddle pommel, resulting in a terrible wound.
William’s body was placed in state, but soon the room was ransacked, and his naked corpse was left lying on the floor. After being hastily embalmed, and according to some, quite carelessly, William was transported to Caen, France. Shortly after his arrival, the town was struck by a fire. When his body was finally brought to the Abbaye-aux-Hommes, a man protested, claiming that William had seized land from his family and objected to the burial. He was compensated, and the church ceremony began. However, as the swollen body was pushed into the coffin, it ruptured, filling the abbey with such a putrid odor that the rest of the funeral was conducted with great haste. Whether this gruesome story is true remains uncertain, especially since William had many enemies among religious factions who would have relished recounting such a grisly end.
William wasn’t the only English monarch who was rumored to have exploded during his own funeral. Some accounts of the funeral of King Henry VIII suggest that his body exploded inside the coffin, and that dogs were seen licking up some of the fluids. However, this could be a fabricated story designed to cast the dead king in a negative light, as it mirrors the biblical tale of wicked King Ahab, whose blood was licked up by dogs after his death.
2. Cow Methane Explosion of Rasdorf
While we've seen many animals explode, a bizarre event in Germany reveals that gassy cows can cause entire buildings to blow up. In 2014, a group of flatulent cows caused a cowshed in Rasdorf, Germany to explode. The 90 cows, each producing up to 500 liters of methane gas per day, caused a dangerous buildup of gas inside the barn. This ignited from a static electricity charge, resulting in an explosion and flames. The blast damaged the roof and left one cow with burns that required medical treatment.
Scientists are exploring ways to stop cows from emitting such massive amounts of methane. Livestock farming is responsible for about 14% of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions, with methane being one of the most harmful, as it traps about 25% more heat than carbon dioxide. The AgResearch Institute in New Zealand is working on a vaccine that targets the microbes in cows’ guts that produce methane. If successful, this vaccine could help combat climate change—and hopefully prevent more methane-driven barn explosions.
1. Explosive Termite Backpacks
In the rainforests of French Guiana, a species of termites has an unusual defense mechanism—they blow themselves up to protect their colony. The Neocapritermes taracua termites carry a ‘backpack’ filled with toxic blue fluid, which they gradually fill with poisonous crystals throughout their lives. The older termites have the most dangerous backpacks, making them the deadliest of the species.
While older termites are not as useful for tasks like foraging, they become vital when the colony is under attack. When a predator threatens the group, elderly termites explode their backpacks, showering the threat with toxic blue liquid. This self-sacrificial act shields the younger, healthier termites, allowing them to continue maintaining the colony.
