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Untreated sewage leads to poor sanitation and disease around the world. Its effects are felt strongly in India, and Bangalore resident Tharun Kumar turned to cows for a solution.
With help from the Biomimicry Institute, he has designed and built 50 sustainable sewage plants that work in a similar way to a cow’s stomach. The system has no moving parts, so doesn't require any power or people to operate it.
Voice: Patrick Aryee
Digital producer: Jennifer Green
Animator: Jules Bartl
With thanks to Tharun Kumar, ECOSTP and Dr Dai Grove-White, University of Liverpool
For more on this story, listen to 30 Animals That Made Us Smarter.