Flush: The Remarkable Science of an Unlikely Treasure

Science journalist Nelson debuts with a beguiling look at a “less-than-charismatic” topic: feces. Humans are the planet’s “second most prolific poopers” (cattle being the first), Nelson writes, and it’s a shame that most human feces are flushed away. Human waste can enrich soil, holds clues for anthropologists to learn about the past, and can save lives (via human-to-human fecal transplants). As well, biogas produced by fecal microbes can be used as fuel, and it’s possible to cook with biochar made from excrement. There’s a long history of humans using waste: ancient nomadic warriors dipped arrowheads in it, and in the Middle Ages, European invaders catapulted bubonic plague victims’ feces over town walls. Nelson has an easy hand in accessibly explaining the chemical interactions involved in upcycling waste, and is generous with enlightening anecdotes. It adds up to a convincing case that humans ought to get more comfortable with what they flush, as doing so can “help us transition to a more circular economy in which we discard nothing and abandon the fantasy that we exist outside of ancient cycles of... growth and decay.” This is pop science done right. Agent: Anna Sproul-Latimer, Neon Literary. (Sept.)