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In the 1970s, a coastal Oregon town was faced with a stinky, slimy problem: a huge dead whale carcass washed ashore and began rotting. The stench was overpowering. Someone had to do something.

A highway engineer came up with the idea of dynamiting the carcass, so that the smaller chunks would be more easily cleaned up by scavenging crabs and seagulls. And thus, one of the world's first viral videos was born. The explosion blew chunks of slimy rotting whale meat up to a quarter mile away. The feat was legendary, although the man behind it was irritated by his claim to fame.

George Thornton died this week at the age of 84. We presume he's blowing up whales in Heaven now.

Image courtesy KATU