Exploding Whales

        In 1970, a lifeless sperm whale washed up on a beach in Oregon, United States. This was an unusual sighting for the state, as they had never experienced a whale wash-up on shore for over 50 years. Since the whale would take a long time to naturally decompose and pose health hazards to the people of the beach, the state had to quickly devise a plan to remove the whale. The best solution they could think of, for some reason, was to blow the whale up, and that was exactly what they did. The state gathered demolition experts to place explosives near the whale and disintegrate it with sheer force. Numerous spectators lined up to watch the explosion and when it finally happened, numerous chunks of dead whale launched into the air, landing near the spectators and even destroying some of their cars. 

While that story is both disturbing and comical, something many people do not know is that whales can explode on their own. When whales die, usually they sink to the bottom of the ocean and get eaten by smaller organisms. If they die and wash up on shore, however, then the gasses inside of their bodies accumulate. The buildup of Carbon dioxide and methane causes the whale’s size to nearly double. Then, when the pressure is too much to hold, the whale starts to burst with immense force as some of its internal structures seep out. So, if these odd stories and facts have any point behind them, it's to watch out whenever you may be near a dead whale. 

Source:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Na_zKbN2VJw&ab_channel=DarkRecords

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUQjFupJ97I&ab_channel=PeekabooKidz