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It took seven years and a team of 20 researchers from the University of Alberta to discover what's in human urine. They discovered over 3,000 different chemical compounds.

A better understanding of what's in our pee is important because it could have exciting implications in science and medicine. The standard urine tests typically just tests for six or seven compounds. But urine contains more than that. From the food you eat to the drugs you take to random bacteria floating around your body.

It helps researchers understand how our bodies process waste and enables doctors to diagnose illnesses much quicker.

The findings reveal that nearly 2,300 of the compounds found in urine came from outside the human body in the form of food, drink and drugs. Even....cosmetics. They concluded that urine is one of the more complex fluids in the human body with five to ten times more compounds found in saliva.

But even after seven years, scientists think they've only scratched the surface. Their study "should be viewed as a starting point for future studies and future improvements in this field." Lets hope it's much faster than another seven years. [PopSci]