Here's the (very strange) reason Kentucky was once showered in meat

Here's the (very strange) reason Kentucky was once showered in meat

It's raining meat! Hallelujah!

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In 1876, meat rained down from the skies above Kentucky. It turns out vultures were likely vomiting mid-flight.

Image credit: Valentin Tkach

Dr Emma Davies

Published: November 22, 2024 at 8:00 am

On 3 March 1876, hunks of flesh reportedly fell from clear skies over Bath County, Kentucky. 

Newspapers called it the Kentucky Meat Shower. Scientists ran tests on the meat and two local men said they had tasted it, declaring it to be mutton or venison. 

The thinking is that the meat came from turkey vultures vomiting in flight. The birds feed on carcasses and have a habit of regurgitating half-digested meat to scare off predators and lighten their load. 

The strong stomach acids can burn predators that get too close. When one vulture vomits, others in the flock tend to join in.

This article is an answer to the question (asked by Jennifer Lewis, Reading) 'What caused the Kentucky Meat Shower?'

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Dr Emma Davies

Dr Emma Davies is a science writer and editor with a PhD in food chemistry from the University of Leeds. She writes about all aspects of chemistry, from food and the environment to toxicology and regulatory science.
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