Scientists Are Learning Exciting New Things From Shitholes

OK, the title grabbed me...

http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2018/01/scientists-are-learning-exciting-new-things-from-shitholes/

Scientists Are Learning Exciting New Things From Shitholes
The many recent discoveries thanks to the scientists who put up with a bunch of crap.

Megan Jula
Jan. 15, 2018 6:00 AM


Science may have dealt with a ton of BS last year, but the field also overflows with bowel-related breakthroughs thanks to the wealth of knowledge hidden in human and animal poop.

“There’s nothing to be shy about with feces,” says Faith Walker, a genetics research professor at Northern Arizona University. “It’s becoming more and more important as a research tool.” She jokes that her lab, which identifies bat species from their feces, aims to be number one at number two.

Last year, scientists used poop to measure stress in right whales, which can indicate whether they have been entangled in traps. Poop revealed that even “herbivore” dinosaurs ate shellfish. Scientists are studying cities’ sewage to gauge the health of residents. Fossilized poop has provided clues about a 300 million-year-old swamp creature. Poop can even help count penguins from space (like “skidmarks on tighty whities”). But despite how far we have come in understanding our stools, we’re still figuring out the best way to poop in space.

Last but not least, a study published last year in the journal Soft Matter found most mammals need only 12 seconds to poop.

Here is what a few scientists had to say about recent scientific discoveries from excrement:

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http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2018/01/scientists-are-learning-exciting-new-things-from-shitholes/