Current Climate Models

Current climate models suggest that, as the Northern Hemisphere became drier about 5,500 years ago, the Southern Hemisphere got wetter.

But traces in the hyrax-urine samples suggest that the southern part of Africa also dried out during this period, according to a paper by the team published in the July 2010 issue of Quaternary Research.

"If the model can't simulate the past. ... how much trust do we have in its ability to predict the future?" study leader Chase said.

To help answer that question, Chase, also an accomplished rock climber, has been collecting hyrax urine since 2006 and is in the middle of a five-year project to collect more—not an easy process.

The urine-rich middens, which need to be chipped off with power tools, are in caves and under rock ledges.

And then there's the smell: "It's not too unpleasant, but it's not all that nice," the University of Cape Town's Meadows said. "It does smell like pee. ... You kind of get used to it."