Has bubble burst over exploding toad tale? (moved from ATSNN), page 1

posted on May, 2 2005 @ 03:48 PM

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Apparently there have been conflicting reports concerning the so called 'exploding toad mystery'. Some scientists are rather skeptical of the various claims.

www.nature.com
Frank Mutschmann, a Berlin-based veterinarian, has examined some of the corpses and says that they bear the scars of a predator's attack. He thinks birds may simply have made a very messy job of eating their favourite parts of the toads, such as the liver.
People watching bloated, rasping toads might well think an explosion was imminent, she says.
"I really think someone needs to go back and check the primary source," comments Barry Clarke, a herpetologist at the Natural History Museum in London. "I've learnt never to say with animals that anything is impossible. But the idea of exploding toads - well let's face it, it's pythonesque."

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.

The exploding toads have been all over the place on the net. Everyone is intruiged by them. Apparently, no one has confirmed seeing them explode.
This is the problem with annecdotal evidence. Merely because someone claims that they saw something does not mean that it happened. And, for most of us, by the time that the reports make it to us, its gone through lots of 'error introducing' filters. Translations, and going through various media outlets, with most of them reporting off one another, rather than reporting from an involved source.

Related News Links:
www.abc.net.au
story.news.yahoo.com

Related AboveTopSecret.com Discussion Threads:
Exploding Toads Baffle Experts
politics.abovetopsecret.com...
www.belowtopsecret.com...
politics.abovetopsecret.com...

[edit on 2-5-2005 by Nygdan]

WyrdeOne

posted on May, 2 2005 @ 03:54 PM

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If you check the original story on this phenomenon, you'll see that one man reported actually seeing a toad explode. However, I agree that reporters should go back to the source, and examine the claims of the eyewitness.

There were also reports from people hearing the toads exploding, so I don't know what to make of that.

In any case, it's possible that the story is a hoax, but I'm inclined to believe the eyewitness until more evidence becomes available.

wecomeinpeace

posted on May, 2 2005 @ 05:35 PM

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If this is a case of "Chinese Whispers", it's definitely one of the more amusing ones. A bloated toad seen here, a gutted toad seen there, a pop heard late at night over the pond, and several singular events all add together to make exploding toads.

Goes to show the fallibility of crude scientific observation when independent events can, on the surface, appear to amount to a phenomenon. Interestingly, it is this same manner of independent observations which lead us to theories like the Big Bang.

Edit: Just realized the pun. "Exploding toads" - "Big Bang". *groans*

[edit on 2005/5/2 by wecomeinpeace]

daboga75

posted on May, 9 2005 @ 08:58 PM

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This story was very odd from the get-go. Does anyone know what is going on with this story now?

trust_no_one

posted on May, 9 2005 @ 11:24 PM

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theres another thread on it here www.abovetopsecret.com...

Hellmutt

posted on May, 9 2005 @ 11:41 PM

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Eyewitness report from Werner Smolnik, a senior figure in Hamburg nature protection who was among the first to witness it.

Theories abound, but German conservationists struggle to find convincing explanation for amphibian Armageddon

"Dozens of toads were crawling out of the water. They were puffed up to almost three times their normal size and making strange screeching noises. Then they just started popping. Some just went 'phut!' and their guts spewed out, but others literally exploded, showering the place with bits of innards. My trousers were covered in toad entrails."