A witty, enlightening journey through the biology of digestion, decomposition, and ecosystems—revealing how eating, pooping, and dying sustain life on Earth.
Eat, Poop, Die by biologist Joe Roman is a captivating exploration of the unglamorous but vital processes that sustain Earth’s ecosystems. Published by Yale University Press in 2024, this ~288-page paperback reveals how eating, excreting, and dying aren’t just life’s constants—they’re essential ecological forces.
With sharp humor and scientific rigor, Roman takes readers on a journey from microbial waste breakdown to the ecological significance of whale carcasses. He shows how animals move nutrients across landscapes and oceans, influencing climate, biodiversity, and soil health. The book unpacks hidden connections: how salmon runs fertilize forests, how seabird guano built empires, and how predator-prey relationships sustain entire food webs.
