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Scott Burnett is “Scatman”—an Australian ecologist on the trail of the secrets of poop. By identifying and analyzing animal scat for DNA and hormones, he discovers essential details of their behavior, how they fit in the ecosystem, and even how to protect them.

Join biologists on an ingenious hunt for the clues hidden in animal poop.

Secrets in the Scat

Secrets in the Scat Preview

The chemicals in rhinoceros feces help the animals communicate with one another. But to scientists and police, rhino scat tells a different story.

To “scatologists,” a pile of fresh scat in the wild is a treasure trove of information.

Can Poop Help Protect Rhinos from Poachers?

Scientists solve a mammal poop mystery: Why do wombats have cube-shaped feces?

Biologists and engineers solve a major marsupial mystery.

Why Wombats Poop Cubes

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Scott Burnett is “Scatman”—an Australian ecologist on the trail of the secrets of poop. By identifying and analyzing animal scat for DNA and hormones, he discovers essential details of their behavior, how they fit in the ecosystem, and even how to protect them. From the mysterious cubic poop of wombats to the precious pink waste of whales, join scientists as they explore nature’s smelliest secrets. (Premiered February 9, 2022)

Join biologists on an ingenious hunt for the clues hidden in animal poop.

Nature

Colossal explosions shake a remote corner of the Siberian tundra, leaving behind massive craters. In Alaska, a huge lake erupts with bubbles of inflammable gas. Scientists are discovering that these mystifying phenomena add up to a ticking time bomb, as long-frozen permafrost melts and releases vast amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. What are the implications of these dramatic developments in the Arctic? Scientists and local communities alike are struggling to grasp the scale of the methane threat and what it means for our climate future. (Premiered February 2, 2022)

In the Arctic, enormous releases of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, threaten the climate.

Arctic Sinkholes

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A composite image of Jupiter using images captured by the James Webb Space Telescope. Image Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, Jupiter ERS Team; image processing by Judy Schmidt.

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Four bright orange loops brand off of a dark blue blob

A transmission electron micrograph of HIV-1 virus particles (orange) replicating from the plasma membrane of an infected H9 T cell. Credit: NIAID, Flickr

Scientists have cured a handful of people of HIV by piggybacking on treatments they received for blood cancer. But does that bring a widespread cure any closer?

Secrets in the Scat

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Can Cat Poop Make You Crazy?

On the Trail of the Bengal Tiger—And Its Feces

Can Bird Poop Make Clouds?

In search of Antarctic biodiversity? Look no further than penguin poop

Secrets in the Scat

White Sand Beaches Are Made of Fish Poop

In 17,000-year-old puma poop, a glimpse of Ice Age parasites

Wombats poop in cubes. Scientists are figuring out how

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Explore More

Can Cat Poop Make You Crazy?

On the Trail of the Bengal Tiger—And Its Feces

Can Bird Poop Make Clouds?

In search of Antarctic biodiversity? Look no further than penguin poop

Secrets in the Scat

White Sand Beaches Are Made of Fish Poop

In 17,000-year-old puma poop, a glimpse of Ice Age parasites

Wombats poop in cubes. Scientists are figuring out how