Episode #060817: Why Are Whale Strandings Still a Mystery?

For millennia, mass strandings of whales have confounded us. Why should dozens or more whales come onto shore only to die a terrible and lengthy death?

AI Summary

# Summary

Josh and Chuck dive deep into the mysterious and heartbreaking phenomenon of mass whale strandings, exploring what causes these creatures to beach themselves on shores around the world. They discuss the natural explanations—from disorientation and social bonds to pursuit of prey—as well as human-caused factors like military sonar and underwater noise pollution. The episode also tackles the difficult ethical questions surrounding how to help stranded whales, including the controversial but sometimes necessary decision to euthanize them humanely, and wraps up with the wild true story of when Oregon officials decided to solve a beached whale problem in 1970 by blowing it up with half a ton of dynamite.

Movies Discussed

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy

2004 1h 35m

★ 6.7

"It's like right out of Anchorman. — Josh compares the tone of the whale explosion news coverage to the comedic style of the movie Anchorman." — Josh

Cheers

1982

★ 7.6

"It could be like that guy from Cheers. — Chuck references the character Robin Colcord from Cheers when discussing the name Robin Grace (spelled with a Y)." — Chuck

Tremors

1990 1h 36m

★ 6.9

"It's like that scene in Tremors. When they finally blew up one of the Tremors. — Josh compares the explosion of whale blubber to the scene where creatures called Graboids are blown up in the movie Tremors." — Josh

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