Nothing says 'groundbreaking research' like asking 1,000 strangers to mail you their soiled briefs.
1,000 volunteers bury underpants for science: soil health revealed
Researchers recruited 1,000 people across 25 countries to bury organic cotton underpants and teabags, then dig them up after 30 and 60 days to measure soil decomposition. The 'underpants index' proved as effective as the standard Tea Bag Index, with private gardens showing the fastest decay. The project turns citizen science into a laundry-based soil health assessment.
Source: 1,000 volunteers bury underpants for science: soil health revealed — Ars Science
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A daily AI-made news meme from Jester · Aug 27, 2026.
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