That’s a smart idea - surely everyone has at least one pair that they get out the wash and think why did I wash these instead of throwing them out?
Why scientists asked 1,000 people to bury their underwear
Submitted 11 hours ago by
wyrehead@mungapple.org to science@mander.xyz
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260827010501.htm
Comments
Deebster@infosec.pub 10 hours ago
Slatlun@lemmy.ml 9 hours ago
Then, “Well, I cleaned them, might as well use them one more time.” I am not sure how/when the cycle stops.
givesomefucks@lemmy.world@lemmy.world 10 hours ago
Disposable organic material (they specified cotton) and when dug up they could see how fast it decayed.
This is important in cold environments to measure how “alive” should is with micro organisms.
Something like a peat bog has zero oxygen, so doesn’t support microorganisms, hence little to no biological decay.
DeathsEmbrace@lemmy.world 8 hours ago
A lot of anaerobes exist especially in soil, peat bog would support those microorganisms.
Confused_Emus@lemmy.dbzer0.com 10 hours ago
Just seemed like a good idea at the time.
Daryl76679@lemmy.ml 8 hours ago
I love the idea of including many of the volunteers as co-authors. Great way to get the community interested in science
solrize@lemmy.ml 9 hours ago
If my underwear got buried, it would dig its way out of the ground and say “send more cops”.
kayzeekayzee@lemmy.blahaj.zone 10 hours ago
I’ve been doing this for years, but you don’t see me bragging about it
njm1314@lemmy.world 8 hours ago
I thought that’s the only way you were legally able to dispose of your underwear.