Comments on: Look at the Size of That Chinchilla Poop–to Know How Much It Rained

By: Joseph Calamia

Joseph Calamia — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 12:44:56 +0000

Ann, thanks for the catch. Very sorry for the rodent picture confusion. Wombatarama, no need to eat any fossilized poop. –Joe

By: wombatarama

wombatarama — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 12:26:07 +0000

If that photo is a chinchilla I’ll happily eat some fossilized rodent poop.

As a former zookeeper I don’t see why grad students shouldn’t to be clamoring to work on this. I mean, not only is rodent poop no big deal, it’s FOSSILIZED. They could be, say, collecting fresh monkey feces. These researchers should count their blessings.

By: Justin Lapp (ActualityScience)

Justin Lapp (ActualityScience) — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 02:09:36 +0000

I wonder how far back this method can be used. Does it allow us to go futher back and estimate rainfall than other tests? And I hope the name “Poop Test” sticks.

By: Brian Too

Brian Too — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 23:23:16 +0000

Really? Do they have to fight off the hordes of grad students clamoring to do this kind of work?

No, there are lots of positions available? You don’t say!

By: Rhacodactylus

Rhacodactylus — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 22:01:08 +0000

What’s that expression? “An expert is someone who knows more and more about less and less until they finally know everything about nothing.” I’m thinking the field of chinchilla research is well on it’s way.

By: ann aunamis

ann aunamis — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 20:36:11 +0000

That kind of looks like a pika, not a chinch.