The Exploding Whale

Arion, Rebecca and Olly recall the events of 12th November, 1970, when the coastal town of Florence, Oregon faced a dilemma: the 8-ton dead sperm whale washed up on its shores, emitting a putrid stench that had become unbearable for residents.

George Thornton, a Department of Transportation engineer, proposed an unconventional solution: detonating the whale with half a ton of dynamite. Crowds gathered to witness this spectacle, expecting a controlled explosion. However, the blast instead launched chunks of whale meat into the air, raining down on spectators and even crushing a car with a sizable piece of flesh.

In this episode, The Retrospectors explain why Thornton and crew nonetheless considered the operation a success; reveal how the incident became one of the internet’s first viral stories, twenty years after it happened; and marvel at how the citizens of Florence have embraced this truly bizarre moment in their history…

Further Reading:

‘Florence, Oregon's Exploding Whale And The Wild Story Behind It’ (All

Thats Interesting, 2023): https://allthatsinteresting.com/exploding-whale

‘Fifty years ago, Oregon exploded a whale with a half-ton of dynamite’ (The Washington Post, 2020): https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/11/13/oregon-whale-explosion-anniversary/

‘Dead on Arrival on a Beach near Florence’ (KATU News, 1970): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6CLumsir34

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The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.

Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart.

Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2026.

This episode originally aired in 2023.

#1970s #Strange #Italy

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