Random AsidesScience

Maybe It Was a Doped-up Wallaby

Pretty much all of you have sent in this story about wallabies who wander into poppy fields, get loaded, and then hop around and around until they make crop circles that gullible people think were actually made by a race of hyper-intelligent aliens with nothing better to do. Apparently the same behavior has been observed in sheep, but they’re not as funny as wallabies so they don’t make it into the headline, nor are they pictorially represented in this blog post, as such:

Wallaby

While I was going to leave the dragon-chasing wallabies as good, clean Quickie-fodder, the sheer tsunami of tips people are sending convinced me a full post is needed. I have very little to add to the story, except this: from now on, when someone offers you an anecdote to support their personal wacky theory, whether it concerns aliens buzzing cornfields or ghosts haunting mansions or NASA faking moon landings, your number one response should now be “maybe it was a doped-up wallaby.” You never know.

(Seriously, thanks to all of you who sent this one in, and all of you who continue to send in your tips! You guys are great.)

Rebecca Watson

Rebecca is a writer, speaker, YouTube personality, and unrepentant science nerd. In addition to founding and continuing to run Skepchick, she hosts Quiz-o-Tron, a monthly science-themed quiz show and podcast that pits comedians against nerds. There is an asteroid named in her honor. Twitter @rebeccawatson Mastodon mstdn.social/@rebeccawatson Instagram @actuallyrebeccawatson TikTok @actuallyrebeccawatson YouTube @rebeccawatson BlueSky @rebeccawatson.bsky.social

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22 Comments

  1. @James Fox: How about pouchings? :P

    Though since the crops are in Taswegia – what happens when the Taz devils eat the crops? Do you get an animal that spin aroung very fast, slobbering and growling, and suffering a serious case of the muchies?

    Oh wait….

  2. This is the best story, too bad there’s no accompanying video.

    BTW I loved Rocko’s Modern Life when I was like 11-12 years old. Haven’t seen it in a long time so off to find some clips on YouTube.

  3. The skepchicks are really doped up wallabies disguised as humans and working on the vast conspiracy of “big wallaby”?

  4. I see, extraterrestrials control wallabies with poppies to make crop circles, thus tricking people into thinking it isn’t actually the aliens doing it. A brilliant ploy.

  5. Awesome. I might just go wander youtube looking for paranormal videos to comment on. Ghostly figure? It’s a doped up wallaby. Strange noises at night? Doped up wallaby. Eviscerated cattle? Doped up wallaby (munchies). Something miraculous happen? No more goddidit, now it’s dopedupwallabiesdidit.

  6. Doped up wannabes?

    Damn!!!

    They’re on to me at last….

    Oh wait. Doped up Wallabies,

    That’s another matter,

    I’m cool, FOR THE MOMENT…

    They’ll find me out someday…

    rod

  7. I want to make sure everyone sees this comment:

    My cat Monkey, a Tonkinese cat, started to walk in circles mysteriously about two months ago. My suspicion is the radar from the two police cars parked in front of my apartment building has an effect or sonar like sound that humans cannot hear may have an effect. I was struck by this news article and had to respond.
    -Barbara Ann Levy, West Palm Beach, Florida

  8. @movingshadow:

    She thinks her cat can hear radio waves?

    That would explain a lot about cats, though… /snark

    @Denver7M: Serve them medium. They get tough when they are served ‘well.’ ;-)

  9. This article has accomplished two things:

    1. It made me giggle… a lot.

    2. I’m now really craving a poppyseed bagel.

  10. @Gabrielbrawley:

    “It’s the biggest henge in the world!! Nobody even knows what the fuck a henge is!!”

    Oh Eddie Izzard what you do to me.

    On a side note, I’m blaming the wallabies for drugging my Diet Coke this morning… I’m feeling very drunk.

  11. Sorry, Gabriel. That comment was supposed to be in reply the comment from Steve, above you. ..

  12. @movingshadow:

    Yeesh. While she’s off chasing radio waves her poor cat is probably suffering from an inner ear issue or vestibular disease. Hopefully she’ll take off the tinfoil hat and see a vet.

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