So, Dr. Lima and Dr. Marshall got the idea to create something useful from manure. Dr. Marshall has already found uses for nut shells and other agricultural waste products. The real magic behind the scientists’ research is lots of heat. They have a special oven that they put the chicken droppings in that can reach over 1,300 degrees Fahrenheit. Ouch! That’s about three times hotter than your oven gets at home! By adding all that heat, the waste becomes a big, dry sponge. It’s full of tiny holes, or pores, that can lock in and hold substances—like nasty chemicals or metals that might be floating in sewage water.