Just as they’re about to give up, Jesus encourages them to try once more. They throw the net back in, and this time they catch an extraordinary amount of fish.

According to the Gospel of Luke, this miracle took place early in Jesus’s ministry. However, in the Gospel of John, it occurs after Jesus’s resurrection. John’s account even mentions the specific number of fish caught—153.

This is where science might step in to explain the phenomenon. Researchers from the Kinneret Limnological Laboratory, who study the Sea of Galilee, have found that certain environmental factors could lead to an abundance of fish in the area. They discovered that a layer of colder, oxygen-depleted water exists beneath the surface. Under certain conditions, wind and waves can stir up this deeper water, forcing fish into oxygen-deprived areas where they can quickly die.

When these “fish-kill events” occur, large numbers of fish can surface, making it easy to collect them. This scientific phenomenon happens in the same general area where Jesus’s two fishing miracles were reported to take place. This could explain why Jesus and his apostles were suddenly able to make such an impressive catch after struggling for hours.

While the story remains a significant spiritual symbol, science offers a possible natural explanation for one of Jesus’s remarkable acts.