Not every animal fact sounds believable on the first read. Here’s one that researchers have actually investigated: wombats produce droppings that are remarkably cube-shaped.
How do wombats make cubes?
Wombats are Australian marsupials. Unlike the rounded droppings produced by many animals, wombat feces can have flat sides and distinct corners.
Scientists studying wombat intestines found that differences in the elasticity of the intestinal wall help shape material as it moves through. The cubes are formed inside the digestive tract, rather than being pressed into shape after they leave the body.
Why might the shape matter?
Wombats use scent and droppings as part of communication and territory marking. Researchers have suggested that a cube-like shape may help droppings stay in place rather than rolling away, although that function is best understood as an explanation researchers have proposed.
It’s an odd reminder that evolution can produce physical structures that look almost manufactured—even when no sharp-edged tools are involved.
Source: Smithsonian Magazine — Why Wombats Make Cube-Shaped Poos.