The spear-wielding stork who revolutionized science - Lucy Cooke episode artwork

EPISODE · Aug 14, 2026 · 8 MIN

The spear-wielding stork who revolutionized science - Lucy Cooke

from TED-Ed · host TED-Ed

Explore ridiculous ancient theories of bird migration and discover how scientists finally solved one of the field's oldest mysteries.--In 1822, Count von Bothmer shot down a stork in Germany. However, the bird had already been impaled by a yard-long wooden spear. The stork had been speared in Africa and then flew over 2,500 km. This astonishing flight proved to be an essential clue in a mystery that had plagued scientists for centuries: the seasonal disappearance of birds. Lucy Cooke digs into the discovery of bird migration.Lesson by Lucy Cooke, directed by Visorama.Support Our Non-Profit Mission----------------------------------------------Support us on Patreon: http://bit.ly/TEDEdPatreonCheck out our merch: http://bit.ly/TEDEDShop----------------------------------------------Connect With Us----------------------------------------------Sign up for our newsletter: http://bit.ly/TEDEdNewsletterFollow us on Facebook: http://bit.ly/TEDEdFacebookFind us on Twitter: http://bit.ly/TEDEdTwitterPeep us on Instagram: http://bit.ly/TEDEdInstagram----------------------------------------------Keep Learning----------------------------------------------View full lesson: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/3-bizarre-and-delightful-ancient-theories-about-bird-migration-lucy-cookeDig deeper with additional resources: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/3-bizarre-and-delightful-ancient-theories-about-bird-migration-lucy-cooke#digdeeperAnimator's website: http://www.visorama.tv/----------------------------------------------Thank you so much to our patrons for your support! Without you this video would not be possible! Janice ESL, Vasundhar, Dessislava Vassileva, Denka Wee, Daru Bhargav, Brett Kaufman, Amy, Michael Clement, Christopher Lye, Ghaith Tarawneh, Nathan Milford, Tomas Beckett, Alice Ice, Kurt Paolo Sevillano, Max Salas, Xavi Ramos, Khoa Nguyen Anh, Ron Kakar, Jennifer Heald, flóra lili donáti, Megulo Abebe, TAO7 HORUS, isolwi , Linh Tran, Vedasheersh, Michael Chang, Alexander Gruber, Irene Y., Kate Sem, VPpurplebelt, Ujjwal Dasu, Winnie Yeung, Giovanna Suleiman Dores, Moritz Heinz, Theunis Groenewald, Võ Thiên Kim, JasonD, Terran Gimpel, Dillon Jason Ramai, Gareth Thomas, Talia Sari, Allen, Kevin Fowler, Sarat Chandra Vegunta, Gautam, Mahina Bachiller, Bruce Vieira Lopes, Charmaine Hanson, Paul Aldred-Bann and Thawsitt. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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The spear-wielding stork who revolutionized science - Lucy Cooke

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