Guinea pig poop powers Peruvian villages

The residents of Pachacamac, a Peruvian village outside Lima, have almost one thousand fluffy, tailless guinea pigs in an enclosure. They’re not pets though: instead, the animals are a source of renewable energy that powers the entire town.

Green solutions like wind power, tidal turbines and solar panels aren’t always feasible for smaller, less developed countries. For more practical results, professors Carmen Felipe-Morales and Ulises Moreno invite scientists to their lab so studies in renewable energy and plant genetics can be used to make a fast, tangible difference to countries like Peru.

Alongside creating potatoes optimised for the village’s soil and climate, and developing several different types of organically produced fruits and cereals, the two scientists have an building, with low-roofs and several compartments, occupied by almost one thousand guinea pigs.