

5 most incredible discoveries of the week

Newser Editors

An insight into our human ancestors from an unexpected source and a common trait among mammals make the list:

1. Oldest human poop discovered: Neanderthals who squatted by a campfire in Spain around 50,000 years ago left something that has got today's scientists very excited. What is believed to be the oldest human poop ever discovered has yielded important information about the Neanderthal diet.

2. Mammals big and small pee in 21 seconds: Ever wonder why it doesn't take elephants an hour to pee? Well someone did. After studying mammals of all walks of life at Zoo Atlanta, scientists discovered that, aside from those that weigh 6.5 pounds or less, it takes the rest of us mammals on average 21 seconds to pee, give or take.

3. Scientists unravel mystery of electric fish's jolt: For the first time, scientists have assembled the complete genome of an electric fish — the potent South American electric eel — and in doing so have identified something much larger: Exactly how this fish, along with electric fish from other families, evolved to create their jolt-delivering organ. The findings might make their way into human pacemakers.

4. Explorer: I found La Salle's ship in Lake Michigan: A 17th-century ship called the Griffin has long eluded Great Lakes shipwreck hunters, but one especially persistent hunter thinks he's finally found the vessel that belonged to French explorer La Salle. It hasn't been seen since its maiden voyage.

5. Moms who give birth at an older age live longer: Busybodies who look askance at middle-aged new parents, take note: Women who are able to get pregnant naturally and give birth in their mid-30s and after tend to live longer than other women, a new study suggests.
