What Can You Learn From Ancient Poop?

Fossilized poop, called coprolites, can reveal surprising secrets about the past.
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Coprolite preservation and analysis:
University of California Museum of Paleontology: http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/paleo/fossils/coprol.html
Daniel Lametti, Slate: http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/explainer/201
Karl Reinhard: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1043&context=natrespapers
Karen Chin, Paleontological Society Papers, V8 2002: http://www.yale.edu/ypmip/predation/Chapter_02.pdf

For more on the Lloyds Bank turd from York, UK (Viking coprolite):
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld/objects/51Et55R_RuCmabtTgQllzQ http://www.buzzfeed.com/alexkasprak/is-this-the-largest-viking-turd-ever-found
http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2003/jun/06/artsandhumanities.arts1
Review paper about plant and animal remains in ancient york: http://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/1174/

Coprolites found in Puerto Rico:
Nature News article by Sara Reardon: http://www.nature.com/news/ancient-faeces-reveal-origins-of-puerto-rican-natives-1.15203
Primary research papers: http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0106833 and http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0065191

Cangrande della Scalas poison-filled coprolites:
Primary research paper (behind a paywall): http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305440314004580
Discovery news coverage: http://news.discovery.com/history/archaeology/mummy-poo-solves-700-year-old-murder-mystery-150110.htm
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Many thanks to Dr. Dennis Jenkins, Dr. Karen Chin, Dr. Hendrik Poinar, Dr. Andrew Knoll, and Dr. Ainara Sistiaga.

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