If you’ve ever been sitting quietly when somebody suddenly lets one rip, you’ve probably wondered the obvious question:
Why do people fart?
Maybe your kid has asked you. Maybe your kid has asked you loudly in the grocery store. Maybe your kid is currently farting while asking you.
Either way, there’s actually a pretty interesting scientific answer.
So…why DO people fart?
Farts happen because gas builds up inside our digestive system.
Some of that gas comes from air we swallow when we eat, drink, chew gum, or talk while eating. But a lot of it is made farther down in the digestive system.
Our intestines are home to trillions of tiny organisms called bacteria. Many of them help us digest food. As they break down parts of our food that our bodies haven’t completely digested, they produce gases.
Eventually, that gas has to go somewhere.
And, well…
Pffffft.
There it goes.
Why do some foods make us fart more?
Certain foods contain carbohydrates and fibers that aren’t completely broken down before they reach the large intestine.
That’s when our gut bacteria get to work—and some of those bacteria produce gas while they’re having dinner.
Beans have a famous reputation for this, but they’re certainly not alone. Broccoli, cabbage, onions, dairy products for some people, and plenty of other foods can lead to extra gas.
So yes, sometimes your dinner really is responsible.
Why do farts smell?
Here’s the weird part: most of the gas in a fart doesn’t smell very much at all.
The stink usually comes from tiny amounts of especially smelly compounds mixed in with the other gases. Some contain sulfur, which can create that unmistakable rotten-egg smell.
In other words, only a small part of a fart is responsible for causing everyone in the room to blame the dog.
Poor dog.
Does everybody fart?
Yep.
Kids fart. Grown-ups fart. Teachers fart. Grandparents fart.
Even the person who insists, “I NEVER fart!”
They fart.
Passing gas is a normal part of having a working digestive system. Some people do it more often than others, and what we eat can affect how much gas our bodies make.
Can you just hold a fart forever?
Nope.
You can hold gas in for a while, but your body still has to deal with it eventually. Holding it doesn’t make you explode like a balloon, despite what a certain curious boy named Gus might wonder.
And that brings us to…
Meet Gus. He has questions.
Gus wonders about things.
Lots of things.
And before he discovers the real answer, he usually has a few ridiculous guesses.
In Why Do People Fart?, Gus wonders whether people fart to escape predators, fill birthday balloons, propel themselves through space, catch fish, and accomplish several other extremely important fart-related tasks.
Spoiler:
They don’t.
But after all the ridiculous guesses, Gus discovers the real science behind why people fart.
It’s part of the Gus Has Questions picture-book series from WhistlePig Publishing:
Big Questions. Ridiculous Guesses. Real Answers.
Gus isn’t finished asking weird questions, either. If you’ve ever wondered how pirates handled bathroom business at sea, discover where pirates really went to the bathroom.
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