The Vatican s Secret Role in the Science of IVF longreads.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from longreads.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
More than half a century ago, men of science and men of faith gathered together to unlock the mysteries of female fertility. The answer: urine from the brides of Christ.
Bborriss/iStock via Getty Images
You may not have realized it, but urine is your body’s own liquid gold, with many surprising uses and qualities. David Bowie reportedly kept his in the refrigerator. World War I soldiers in Ypres tied urine-soaked socks to their faces as protection against chemical warfare. This smelly, watery, urea-rich fluid comes in different shades of yellow (depending on your water intake) and sometimes green or orange (depending on the medicines you ingest). Here are nine ways in which urine has contributed toward the development of humankind.
1. Urine has been used as an antiseptic for at least 2000 years.