Wombats Poop in Perfect Cubes

Wombats are the only known animals in the world that produce cube-shaped feces - nearly perfect geometric cubes that measure about 2cm on each side. This remarkable feat is achieved through their unique digestive system. Wombat intestines have varying elasticity along their length, with some sections being stiffer than others. As waste moves through the intestines, the varying muscle contractions and elasticity gradually shape the feces into cubes. The process takes 14-18 hours and produces 80-100 cubes daily. The cube shape serves an important purpose: it prevents the droppings from rolling away, allowing wombats to stack them as scent markers to communicate with other wombats about territory and mating. The discovery of this mechanism earned scientists an Ig Nobel Prize in 2019 and has inspired engineers studying new manufacturing techniques for creating cubic objects without molds.