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How do wombats poop cubes? (2021)

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Re: How do wombats poop cubes? (2021)

#31

Post by franciscop »

doctoboggan wrote: post #24
franciscop wrote: post #16

A bit of a tangent but I've read this phrase almost verbatim in another article[1] today: > "This study is really good," says Sunghwan Jung, a biophysicist at Cornell University who studies the mechanics of animal movements and was not involved with the research. It shows, he says, that the guts of these animals "are very special." The other article [1] quote: > It’s “an impressive step,” said Jack Szostak (opens a n…

Yes, good science writing almost always gets an opinion from someone not involved in the research for the article. I would guess varying definitions of "not involved" depending on the repute of the publication.

Yes I understand, it's just the feeling I get is a bit odd, like the thing you get at the end of the ad like "9/10 doctors recommend this".

Re: How do wombats poop cubes? (2021)

#32

Post by 3eb7988a1663 »

lemming wrote: post #12

The always excellent Oatmeal: We need to have a conversation about wombats https://theoatmeal.com/comics/wombats Possibly NSFW, depending on your W.

Well, Mr. Oatmeal is apparently repeating an urban legend. I look at a wombat, and no way do I believe that thing can move at 25 mph (40 kph). I found a piece[0] which indicates this might have been some confusion as to metric vs imperial decades ago that was then retransmited through the ages.

[0] https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2024-04-13/how-fast-can-...

Re: How do wombats poop cubes? (2021)

#33

Post by itchingsphynx »

3eb7988a1663 wrote: post #32
lemming wrote: post #12

The always excellent Oatmeal: We need to have a conversation about wombats https://theoatmeal.com/comics/wombats Possibly NSFW, depending on your W.

Well, Mr. Oatmeal is apparently repeating an urban legend. I look at a wombat, and no way do I believe that thing can move at 25 mph (40 kph). I found a piece[0] which indicates this might have been some confusion as to metric vs imperial decades ago that was then retransmited through the ages. [0] https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2024-04-13/how-fast-can-...

And yet the very article that you refer to confirms that anecdotal reports by the biologists studying these very animals report that during breeding seasons that the male Southern Hairy-Nose Wombat can reach these speeds in bursts:

>South Australian wildlife biologist [A/Prof] David Taggart has studied the southern hairy-nosed wombat since 1993. In the 2008 and 2024 editions of Strahan's mammal book, he writes that the southern hairy-nosed species can run at 40 kph. "I can confirm that I have clocked this species running at just over 40 kph, although they can't maintain that for long."

More non-peer reviewed information here from the Australian national science agency: https://connectsci.au/news/news-parent/3758/Turns-out-wombat...

Re: How do wombats poop cubes? (2021)

#34

Post by esperent »

3eb7988a1663 wrote: post #18
xattt wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There has to be a term for these very specific claims. 30 g in 30 minutes? Give me LD50 numbers.

Taxine alkaloids[0] The estimated lethal dose (LDmin) of taxine alkaloids is approximately 3.0 mg/kg body weight for humans.[27][28] Different studies show different toxicities; a major reason is the difficulty of measuring taxine alkaloids.[29] It goes on to say that rats are ~20mg/kg, which would put a human at somewhere less than 1.4grams. Which is close enough to, "any exposure at all will kill". [0] https://en.w…

> Which is close enough to, "any exposure at all will kill".

How much is in one seed?

I could only find a few sources saying that you would need to eat about 50g of the needles to reach the LD, and that's... A lot. There's no way a child would accidentally manage that, for example (even assuming LD for a child is much lower). But I couldn't find specific numbers for seeds.

Not being a killjoy here, I grew up around yew trees and I was always told to be careful of them, but not with any sense of panic that would suggest "any exposure at all will kill”. I think you'd have a bad time even with low exposure but death seems unlikely by accident.

Re: How do wombats poop cubes? (2021)

#35

Post by appplication »

xattt wrote: post #14
comrade1234 wrote: post #3

I climb a lot around the forests where I live in Switzerland. In one area there are a lot of yew trees - deadly to mammals. Just 30 grams of the needles will stop your heart. The bright red berry tastes very nice and isn't poisonous but the seed, if just one seed has a crack in it and you swallow it it will stop your heart in about thirty minutes. German kings have used it to kill themselves after being defeated by R…

There was a yew bush on my walk to primary school. When berries were in season, I used to pick and squish the berry between my fingers because the shape was unique (berry with a seed that sticks out‽) ands its slimy feel. Thank goodness it never amounted to anything more, even through transdermal absorption.

We had them in our yard growing up, I recall regularly playing with the berries for the exact same reason. Funny enough my dad did warn me not to eat it, but based on this post eating the berry itself would have been one of the few ways it’s not toxic. Had no idea about the rest of the plant being so toxic until today.

Re: How do wombats poop cubes? (2021)

#37

Post by golem14 »

nickdothutton wrote: post #11
comrade1234 wrote: post #3

I climb a lot around the forests where I live in Switzerland. In one area there are a lot of yew trees - deadly to mammals. Just 30 grams of the needles will stop your heart. The bright red berry tastes very nice and isn't poisonous but the seed, if just one seed has a crack in it and you swallow it it will stop your heart in about thirty minutes. German kings have used it to kill themselves after being defeated by R…

They are planted in graveyards in the UK, it prevents grazing animals from entering and soiling up the place. The animals seem to know to keep away. They cant nibble the grass without getting a mouthful of the needles.

I hear Yew is uniquely poisonous to horses (I mean, they are especially susceptible to it)

Re: How do wombats poop cubes? (2021)

#38

Post by golem14 »

esperent wrote: post #34
3eb7988a1663 wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Taxine alkaloids[0] The estimated lethal dose (LDmin) of taxine alkaloids is approximately 3.0 mg/kg body weight for humans.[27][28] Different studies show different toxicities; a major reason is the difficulty of measuring taxine alkaloids.[29] It goes on to say that rats are ~20mg/kg, which would put a human at somewhere less than 1.4grams. Which is close enough to, "any exposure at all will kill". [0] https://en.w…

> Which is close enough to, "any exposure at all will kill". How much is in one seed? I could only find a few sources saying that you would need to eat about 50g of the needles to reach the LD, and that's... A lot. There's no way a child would accidentally manage that, for example (even assuming LD for a child is much lower). But I couldn't find specific numbers for seeds. Not being a killjoy here, I grew up around y…

A child might not need the whole 50g.

Not a good way to go, BTW: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4462509/

Re: How do wombats poop cubes? (2021)

#39

Post by globular-toast »

ggm wrote: post #10

I'm reminded of Professor Hermione Lee of the University of York English department facing a stuttering student explaining the contextual meaning of the word "quaint" in middle English poetry: Spit it out man! It means CUNT. Can we stop with this "poop" nonsense. Number #2 and other forms, it's shit English, it's stupid. It's feces. Or shit. Or that fine old English word Turd.

I also really hate the word "poop". Its use as a noun and a verb here is particularly irritating. It just seems so childish.
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