Wombats Like Three Squares a Day

January 29, 2021 5:27 AM

Did you ever wonder why wombats poo cubes? Neither had I.

Today I learned that wombats poo cubes, and it's not because they patted them into shape, either. Read on for talented Australian marsupial intestines.

posted by Joan Rivers of Babylon (17 comments total)

ahh I came here to post this and it was AT THE TOP where it should be.

As well as the benefits of better understanding wombats themselves, Carver said the discovery highlighted a new way of manufacturing cubes inside a soft tube, which could be applied to other fields including manufacturing, clinical pathology and digestive health.

For Science! And apparently For Manufacturing and Poo Health!
posted by Hypatia at 5:48 AM on January 29, 2021 [2 favorites]

Old news but I love the reminder.
posted by tiny frying pan at 6:00 AM on January 29, 2021 [1 favorite]

I am a huge fan of science and the need to check supposedly obvious details. But this did make me laugh:

"The researchers also found that cube-shaped faeces on an eight degree slope rolled far less than spherical-shaped models."

posted by Stark at 6:00 AM on January 29, 2021 [1 favorite]

WOMBAT HAS 4 CORNER
SIMULTANEOUS 4-DAY
POOP CUBE
WITHIN SINGLE ROTATION
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 6:00 AM on January 29, 2021 [31 favorites]

fuckin wombats man. think they shit ain’t as ambulatory as the rest
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 6:06 AM on January 29, 2021 [1 favorite]

and i thought my research was shit
posted by lalochezia at 6:53 AM on January 29, 2021

But this did make me laugh:
"The researchers also found that cube-shaped faeces on an eight degree slope rolled far less than spherical-shaped models."

I thought that was pretty funny too--that will definitely win them an Ignoble Award! Also I would really like to know why 8 degrees, is that the average slope of all of Australia or something?
posted by lemonade at 7:16 AM on January 29, 2021 [1 favorite]

Old news but I love the reminder.

This is about the release yesterday of the full research paper, instead of the 2018 prelim findings.

Since 2018, Australian researchers have performed the histology as well as a CT scan upon a live wombat, and concluded that the changes in muscle thickness, in addition to the drying out of the faecal material in the distol colon, produced the distinctive shape.

I'm thinking that will improve their chances of an ignoble.

"Wrestled live wombat into CT scanner long enough to determine precise muscle thickness that makes cube-shaped faeces."

I'm looking forward to this leading to new manufacturing techniques. Have you seen the price of machined balanced dice? Though I might pass on the wombat poo kickstarter version.
posted by Absolutely No You-Know-What at 7:36 AM on January 29, 2021

This is about the release yesterday of the full research paper, instead of the 2018 prelim findings.

The relevant previouslies:
"It would be a cool method to apply to the manufacturing process"
With their tiny magical butts.
posted by zamboni at 8:13 AM on January 29, 2021 [1 favorite]

Does anyone else think the poop cubes look like brownies?
posted by pianissimo at 8:21 AM on January 29, 2021

Sorry y'all that's what I get for only looking at one link.
posted by tiny frying pan at 8:31 AM on January 29, 2021

WOMBAT HAS 4 CORNER
SIMULTANEOUS 4-DAY
POOP CUBE
WITHIN SINGLE ROTATION

YOU ARE DEFECATED STUPID
posted by tclark at 8:32 AM on January 29, 2021 [4 favorites]

Just a tad early for FecalFebruary...
posted by Greg_Ace at 9:27 AM on January 29, 2021 [1 favorite]

YOU ARE DEFECATED STUPID

at least I know the fundamentals
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 2:11 PM on January 29, 2021

To see for yourself, this AskMe is one of my favorite Asks of all time and may help you out (if / when we are allowed to travel for wombat encounters again).
posted by batter_my_heart at 3:06 PM on January 29, 2021 [1 favorite]

The linked articles about baby wombats are adorable too!
posted by leslies at 7:55 AM on January 30, 2021

“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."

Or cut them from soft materials? My tofu says yes.
posted by hypnogogue at 8:59 PM on January 30, 2021