BBC
In wombats, the faeces changed from a liquid-like state into a solid state in the last 25% of the intestines - but then in the final 8% a varied elasticity of the walls meant the poop would take shape as separated cubes.
This, the scientists explain, resulted in 2cm (0.8in) cube-shaped poops unique to wombats and the natural world.Ha ha ha, they spell feces with a random "A."
But wait. There's more.
The marsupial then stacks the cubes - the higher the better so as to communicate with and attract other wombats."At first our poop came out like regular poop but those kept rolling around and didn't stack well so we evolved cubical poop to indulge our architectural proclivities."
Maybe I just imaged that last wombat quote.
More poop on the poop at the link.
People, this is science!
By the way @BBCiPM, we’re delighted to say that we now have Wombat poo in our collection...here it is in all it’s cubic glory! pic.twitter.com/Q7C9erGyd8— National Poo Museum (@PooMuseum) September 15, 2018
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Yet in all those years of evolution the wombats themselves have barely escaped becoming cylindrical.
Cubes, Yang says, are very rare in nature. “We currently have only two methods to manufacture cubes,” she said, explaining that humans either mold cubes from soft materials, or cut them from harder objects.
“Wombats have a third way.”
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