A thousand toads mysteriously exploded in 2005 – and the explanation was way stranger ...

Theory Briefing

• Over a thousand toads mysteriously exploded in Hamburg in 2005, baffling scientists who quickly ruled out water pollution and infection.
• German veterinarian Franz emerged as a key figure, pointing to an unlikely biological explanation that overturned early assumptions.
• The case shows how a dramatic, visible phenomenon can lead investigators through a chain of discarded theories before landing on a surprising answer.
• The true explanation hinged on a specific animal behavior, suggesting a precise ecological trigger rather than any environmental catastrophe.