..................
Something funny about the journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B at Cambridge University investigating old latrines, though many philosophical breakthroughs were probably made there.
“We found that the microbiome at Jerusalem and Riga had some common characteristics – they did show similarity to modern hunter gatherer microbiomes and modern industrial microbiomes, but were different enough that they formed their own unique group. We don’t know of a modern source that harbors the microbial content we see here.”
Until I looked it up, I did not know that microbiomes were hunter gatherers.
There might have been a better way to state that the microbiomes were found in hunter gatherers. ;-)
PING
Ping
Fossilized poo tells us how much has changed in our health from the past.
I’m frankly glad we have fewer parasites these days.
I once knew a man who specialized in fecal mushroom spores. You don’t want to know how he studied them.
I have excavated many old latrines in the Western part of the US. Treasure trove of old bottles, coins, buttons and the occasional gun. Never tried to identify microbes though.
Thanks! This should help to wipe away misconceptions.
/rimshot!
Prehistoric waste piles have preserved the diets and other interests of otherwise undocumented people.
“Hi Dave! What’s that son of yours doing these days?”
“He looks at shirt under a microscope.”
“You mean like at a hospital?”
“No, in a tent.”
“I see. Tell him he can keep those gloves he borrowed.”
Always carry one of those little troll dolls when you are out backpacking.
Drop it in your latrine hole before you go.
A thousand years from now, some archeologist will dig your latrine up and write a paper about how we were eating little plastic people.
ancient microbiome ping
Crappy job...
About fifty five years ago I read a MENTOR book “The Mute Stones Speak” about archaeology digs in Rome.
They found pit toilets from 2000 years ago, and in digging through them found the stench was still so strong they still attracted thousands of flies during the dig.
Wonder what they found in the way of gut problems there.
