URINE TRIVIA

A study in Finland demonstrated that human urine mixed with wood ash makes a good fertilizer for tomatoes.

In May 2009 a system for recycling astronauts urine and sweat into drinking water finally became operational after months of repeated mechanical failures. Out one end and in the other (sorry, I couldn't resist that). The system recycles 93% of the astronauts' sweat and urine.

The Cow Protection Department of India's oldest Hindu nationalist group (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) announced in 2009 that is was developing a new soft drink made from cow urine. The soft drink, flavored with herbs, is expected to be ready for sale in a few months. The healthy beverage is being developed in part to counteract what many in India consider the corrupting influence of Western food imports. Many in India believe that cow urine has strong healing properties, and is capable of even curing cancer.

There is a lot of frozen urine floating around in space. For years, most of the urine produced by astronauts has just been dumped overboard. When it hits the cold vacuum of space, it instantly freezes into tiny pee crystals. With a new urine recycling system installed on the International Space Station that turns urine into drinking water, there should be a decrease in the quantity of pee ice debris in orbit.

Some individuals have odorous urine after eating asparagus, and it was long thought to be a genetic trait since some people seemed to be immune to this effect. The odor is caused by a asparagusic acid which the body converts into methanethiol (closely related to skunk spray!). It now appears that there are exceptions on both sides of the phenomenon. Due to genetic differences, most but not all people produce methanethiol after eating asparagus, and most but not all people can detect the odor.

According to my friend and his wife in Thailand, slices of the kafir lime are used as a deodorant in urinals.

Research at the University of Kuopio in Finland has shown that human urine used as fertilizer increases the yield of cabbage over conventional fertilizers. The cabbages were also bigger and had fewer germs. The urine had been stored for 6 months before use as fertilizer. It also works with cucumbers.
Science News 10/6/07

Both the ancient Egyptians and the Aztecs rubbed urine on their skin to treat cuts and burns. Urea, a key chemical in urine, is known to kill fungi and bacteria.

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