they poop on top of things like rocks or logs, as a way of marking territory. similar to how dogs piss on things that are upright. By not rolling off it keeps it some what elevated, so the scent spreads a bit further.

At least, that's the theory.

That just leaves one mystery: why wombats evolved cubic poop in the first place. Hu speculates that because the animals climb up on rocks and logs to mark their territory, the flat-sided feces aren't as likely to roll off from these high perches.

As for what the world is supposed to do with this new information, Hu admits that it's "not going to replace the way we manufacture plastic." But the wombat's strategy could help engineers design better ways to shape valuable or sensitive materials, he says.