‘I have an understanding housemate’: the student who makes videos of fungus on faeces
Alfred Drummond-Herdman, a trainee lawyer in Edinburgh, has gained social media fame for creating detailed time-lapse videos of fungi growing on animal feces. His work has contributed to the identification of new species and offers a unique look at natural decomposition.
Why it matters
This story highlights how amateur naturalists can use digital platforms to contribute to scientific discovery and public engagement with nature.
Alfred Drummond-Herdman examines the gill of an inkcap mushroom under a microscope. Alfred Drummond-Herdman examines the gill of an inkcap mushroom under a microscope. Nature heroes Fungi ‘I have an understanding housemate’: the student who makes videos of fungus on faeces Alfred Drummond-Herdman’s extraordinary timelapses have been viewed by millions – and led him to identify new species
About this content Patrick Greenfield Sun 2 Aug 2026 04.00 EDT Share Prefer the Guardian on Google A lfred Drummond-Herdman is possibly the only person in the UK who is sent animal faeces in the post out of goodwill. His bedroom in Edinburgh is full of the stuff: clothes have been removed from his wardrobe and cupboards, replaced with terrariums and plastic containers housing sections of cowpats, grouse droppings and rabbit pellets.
“I have a very understanding housemate,” he says.
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