March 16, 2020

12: Mysteries of Poop

41 minutes

Why does coffee make you poop? Why do some animals eat their own poop? And just how much do you poop in your lifetime? All these poop related questions (and a whole lot more) are answered by our intrepid science reporters, Jeanna and Mindy.

Below you can find links to further reading on the topics discussed in this episode.

Mystery #1: Why Does Coffee Make You Poop?

Research from the 1990s found that when some people drink coffee they experience a response in the gastrointestinal system just minutes later

Interview with Metin Eren, assistant professor at Kent State University in Ohio, and co-director of the University's Eren Laboratory of Experimental Archaeology: What a Waste! Frozen Poop Knives Are Crappy Cutters

Mystery #2: Why Do Some Animals Eat Their Own Poop?

This is called coprophagia and common in the animal kingdom

For many animals it helps them digest more nutrients

NEWS UPDATE with Live Science staff writer Yasemin Saplakoglu: New coronavirus may spread through poop

Mystery #3: How Much Do You Poop in Your Lifetime?

The number can vary due to age, dietary habits, exercise and other factors

On average both men and women move their bowels about once a day and produce about 14 to 17 ounces of feces

Don’t forget to subscribe! You can find more answers to life’s little mysteries at the Live Science website and you can follow us on Twitter and Facebook too. Tell us what your life’s little mysteries are at forums.livescience.com.

Music by Chad Crouch - Algorithms

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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