When a tea farmer in Sichuan, China, boasted about his rare tea's unique flavor and nutritional benefits, selling it for an astronomical price, what surprising animal's waste did he reveal as his secret fertilizer for the tea plants?

Sounds a bit… exotic, doesn't it? But it's totally legit! Back in 2011, Professor An Yanshi from Sichuan Agricultural University founded a company to grow tea using panda dung. He argued that since pandas only eat bamboo, their waste is rich in fiber and nutrients, which he believed would make the tea taste smoother and healthier. His first batch of "Panda Tea" reportedly sold for an astonishing 220,000 RMB (roughly $35,000 USD at the time) per kilogram, causing a huge stir! While the scientific community debated its actual benefits, Professor An certainly made a splash, even getting featured on CNN.