Have you ever been out on a walk, and as you take that next step, you feel the slippery squish of poop under your foot? It’s not just gross. Beyond the mess and the smell, it’s potentially infectious.

Recently, on a hike with a friend, among towering Douglas fir and western hemlock trees, by a glassy, pebble-rich creek, we saw giant plops of black-bear scat every few hundred yards. We were miles ...

The following essay is reprinted with permission from The Conversation, an online publication covering the latest research. Have you ever been out on a walk and as you take that next step, you feel ...