In a match - review piece of myth - busting enquiry , scientists have sadly concluded it is not possible , even in the polar wintertime , to freeze your own shit and apply it as a tongue . Just in sheath you were wondering .
Explorer Wade Davis assure the chronicle in his bookShadows in the Sunof an Inuit man whose mob choose his tools aside in an effort to ram him to move to a resolution . According to the fib , which has since become wildly pop online ( more bacterial than viral we intend ) , the older man took a dumpsite outside the igloo and shaped it into a tongue . In the bitter cold , this became hard enough for him to use it to kill a dog-iron , turn its costa John Cage into a sled and have another dog pluck him into the trackless wilderness .
The news report has myth - like elements , and many have questioned its veracity . Although Davis attributes the story to the grandson of the hero , even he take it may be “ apocryphal ” . Scientists at Kent State University decided the worldly concern needed the truth , and if no one else was unforced to do the foul work of trying to weaponize their own turds they would step into the breach .
In theJournal of Archaeological Science : Reportsthese literal party poopers account fecal knives are crap .
For maximum legitimacy first authorDr Metin Erinadopted an Esquimau - like dieting high in protein and fat acid for eight days . After four day , he and colleagues begin amass the fecal sample distribution ( hopefully with gloves ) and shaping them , both by hand and in mold , at temperatures of -20ºC ( -4ºF ) .
The butchering of dogs being lour upon by most research institutions , Erin and co - authors incur grunter meat , tendons and fell , which were unthaw to 4ºC ( 40ºF ) . To make absolutely certain the knives were cold enough , they were target in dry ice at -50ºC ( -62ºF ) for several minutes .
Erin and carbon monoxide - authors concede they could not get close to cutting hide , lease alone muscle or tendon . “ Despite the hide being cold from infrigidation , instead of slicing through it the tongue - edge only melted upon contact , leaving run of fecal matter , ” they report . Just to be sure , they tried using another squad member ’s poop , and did no better . This is despite , as they take down , the chance of cutting a frigid hairless bull fell are better than those of a ardent , wooden-headed furred click .
The dauntless team did not test a moderately exchangeable account , that the twentieth - C Arctic explorer Peter Freuchen dug himself out of a snowdriftusing a chiselmade of his own feces . However , they note frozen dung is more suited to cheat ice than cutting flesh .
[ H / T : Dr Jens Foellon Twitter ]
