Cicadas Are Number One

Not only will there be lots of cicadas this year, but there will be lots of cicada pee.

That's right, scientists have figured out that cicadas are unlike most other insects, which generally drip their urine out a few drops at a time. Cicadas put out a jet of urine the way mammals do, and in fact have the fastest stream of urine of all animals. Faster than elephants or horses, only smaller. Of course.

This NPR story has the details, and even a video of cicadas doing the job.

Why are they able to do this? From what I've read, my rudimentary answer is, cicadas drink 300 times their body weight in liquid every day, so it has to go somewhere pretty fast. If they hadn't evolved this ability, they wouldn't be here. 

The New York Times story on this phenomenon mentioned that studying animal urination offers new ideas for nozzle designs.

So next time you see a cicada — and that seems pretty likely this year — say thank you.