Timmy the whale (or Hope, as he is also called) is not only causing a stir in Germany. While many marine experts are convinced that there is no longer any hope for the whale and that the current removal will not change that, certain groups are stirring up sentiment against the authorities. Conspiracy stories and accusations directed at experts and politicians are becoming increasingly widespread, no matter how absurd some of these theories may be. Peter Zellinger from the STANDARD Web department explains why a stranded whale triggers such wild stories among our neighbors and what that says about us as a society. (red, 4/30/26)
