# Does fecal matter contain DNA? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 14, 2001, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-fecal-matter-contain-dna/93294 "2001-11-14T10:58:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![psychogumby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c0e974/32.png) [@psychogumby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychogumby)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2001, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-fecal-matter-contain-dna/93294/1 "2001-11-14T10:58:29Z")
this seems like an odd question, but I was wondering if fecal matter (well, any secretion … sweat, urine etc) has DNA in it? And if so, would it be possible to extract the DNA from such a substance and use it to clone a new member of a species. And if you were cloned from DNA extracted from poo, would calling someone a turd be considered to be a slur or a hate crime? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Bob\_Scene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Bob\_Scene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob_Scene)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2001, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-fecal-matter-contain-dna/93294/2 "2001-11-14T11:26:03Z")
Your intestines are lined with epithelial cells that die and fall off all the time, like skin cells. So your feces do contain some of your DNA. It will be a long time before anyone will be cloned that way. Animals have only been cloned from live cells and the DNA in these dead epithelial cells might not be in very good shape. Most other bodily secretions also contain dead and/or live cells and might be easier to clone someone from because you don’t have so much crap to sort through to get to the human cells. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2001, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-fecal-matter-contain-dna/93294/3 "2001-11-14T11:36:16Z")
Sort of related to this question: [Can DNA from a booger be used as evidence?](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mbooger.html) ---
**Author:** ![Earthworm\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f07891/32.png) [@Earthworm\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earthworm_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2001, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-fecal-matter-contain-dna/93294/4 "2001-11-14T13:25:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bob Scene \* > \*\*because you don’t have so much crap to sort through to get to the human cells. \*\* Pun intended? If so, please allow me to say: groan. ---
**Author:** ![Bob\_Scene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Bob\_Scene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob_Scene)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2001, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-fecal-matter-contain-dna/93294/5 "2001-11-14T19:35:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Beelzebubba \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Bob Scene \* > > \*\*because you don’t have so much crap to sort through to get to the human cells. \*\* > > Pun intended? If so, please allow me to say: groan. \*\* Okay, I admit I did it on purpose. But read [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=97818) before you judge me too harshly. ---
**Author:** ![psychogumby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c0e974/32.png) [@psychogumby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychogumby)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2001, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-fecal-matter-contain-dna/93294/6 "2001-11-14T21:05:08Z")
Hmm, I might have to donate the last pair of underpants I wear before I die to science to see if they can use the DNA locked in them to clone something after I pass over to the next world. ---
**Author:** ![TheeGrumpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@TheeGrumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheeGrumpy)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2001, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-fecal-matter-contain-dna/93294/7 "2001-11-14T22:47:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by psychogumby \* > **Hmm, I might have to donate the last pair of underpants I wear before I die to science…** Is that because you plan to die in some horrifying, bowel-loosening way? Like having a piano fall on your head, or killer bees? ---
**Author:** ![Bob\_Scene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Bob\_Scene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob_Scene)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2001, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-fecal-matter-contain-dna/93294/8 "2001-11-14T23:57:29Z")
And are you really, really **sure** that science **wants** your underpants? ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-fecal-matter-contain-dna/93294/9 "2001-11-15T00:35:04Z")
Speaking on behalf of science, thanks anyway. We have plenty. Really.