Do you fart? Come on! You do! Everyone in this world does and, when we say everyone, we mean men, women, children and even animals. So, if you go out there in this world claiming that you don’t fart, you will be making a fool out of yourself. You know what? Farting is a natural process and is actually a byproduct of our digestive system. Thus, there is absolutely no way you can deny the very fabric of nature. This article on 20 interesting farting facts will give you information that will make you feel a little better if you happen to be embarrassed with flatulence.

Interesting Farting Facts: 1-10

1. Rush University Medical Center’s assistant professor, Aziz Adam (M.D.) explains that the food we eat goes through our stomach and then gastrointestinal tract and eventually ends up in colon and it stays there until it is expel out through the process we call pooping. Okay, what happens until we poop? This is where the leftover nutrients undergo a process of fermentation triggered by out intestinal bacteria.

2. It is this fermentation process mentioned above that causes the production of a specific type of gas known as sulfur. It is this sulfur that is responsible for producing the pungent smell of the fart and creates the gassy feel.

3. Is that (what’s mentioned above) the only source of gas? Nope! There’s more. Fart also consists of air that we swallow during drinking and eating. It also consists of air that seeps out from blood into our intestines.

4. As far as composition of fart is concerned, it consists of nitrogen (59%), hydrogen (21%), carbon dioxide (9%), methane (7%) and oxygen (4%).

5. Actually, point #2 was not completely accurate. Fart typically consists of mercaptans and hydrogen sulfide gas. Both of these compounds contain sulfur which produces the stinking smell of fart.

6. Why is that fart sometimes makes a blasting sound. That’s caused by vibrations of the rectum. The loudness of the sound will actually depend on two factors. First, the pressure that expels the gas and second, tightness of sphincter muscle.

7. The intensity of the bad odor of your fart depends on the nature of diet you eat. Food rich in sulfur will lead to bad odor. Some examples will be cheese, cabbage, eggs, soda and beans.

8. Did you know that you fart at an amazing speed of 10 feet per second?

9. No one can actually smell a fart almost immediately even after it has been released at the speed of 10 fps. That’s because it takes time for fart odors to rip in air before they can reach nostrils.

10. Some medical experts hold the opinion that suppressing fart is not detrimental to health while some others opine that doing so will lead to some health problems including bloating, uncomfortable symptoms, distended bowel and hemorrhoids. Second set of people sound more logical to us at least in terms of bloating and discomfort.

Interesting Farting Facts: 11-20

11. Did you know farts are flammable? Well, that’s because fart is composed of several gases of which one is methane, which is known to be a flammable gas. However, methane is not really the cause of the party trick. It is rather caused by hydrogen.

12. Even if you hold your farts, you are surely gonna release them when you sleep.

13. Fart is a phenomenon that continues even after death. Yes, you read it correctly. A dead person farts because air continues to come out of the body from both ends of the digestive system. This means that a dead man can fart and burp even after death.

14. Did you know that second largest natural source of methane emission is fart? Well while humans do contribute to this, the folks who contribute the most are the termites. Yes, of all animals in world, termites are fart kings. They are known to produce anywhere between 2 and 22 Tg of methane a year. Tg stands for teragram. 1 teragram = 1,000,000,000 kilograms.

15. An average person – male or female – farts 14 times a day on an average.

16. The bigger the poop size, the quieter the toot is. This caused because passing bigger poor stretches the anal canal opening and hence, leads to silent flatulence.

17. A company named Shreddies has come up with a special underwear that is known for filtering fart and deodorizing smell.

18. Chewing gum and sucking candy can actually make a person gassy.

19. 17 quadrillion farts have been released till day by all humans who have lived or live on earth. That’s not a very accurate number and is only an estimate. The calculations are pretty simple. 14 farts on average a day multiplied by average number of years a person lives multiplied by 365 days multiplied by total number of people who lived or live on earth gives an approximate figure of 17 quadrillion. A full calculation can be found here.

20. Only 1% of the gas of a single fart is what causes the pungent smell. Remaining 99% gases are very innocent.

Surprise Farting Facts!

Don’t fart in open in a country named Malawi in Africa. It is considered an offense there. However, you are free to fart as much as you can among Yanomami tribe of South America. This Indian tribe there uses fart as a gesture of greeting.

Bonus Farting Facts:

1. At the depth of 33 feet, scuba divers are unable to fart.

2. Of all non-human life forms on earth, there are four animals discovered that cannot fart. They are Sea Anemones, Coral, Jellyfish and Pogonophoran worm.

3. If someone manages to fart consistently for a period of 81 months, the energy produced will be more than that of an atomic bomb.

4. Women will have more concentration of gas in their stomach for the exact same food they eat as men do. Also, the intensity of odor will be greater in women for the exact same food they eat as men.

5. Farting is a method of communication for Herring.

6. A maggot’s fart has antibiotic properties and doctors are today busy converting it into a medicine.

7. Public farting contests were held in ancient Japan where people would compete against each other for the title of longest and loudest fart.

150 Different Expressions for Fart

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4