Did you know that the world’s oldest joke is about farts? Hi, I’m Erin McCarthy, editor-in-chief of MentalFloss.com. Bathroom humor has been around for a long time! In 2008, researchers from England’s University of Wolverhampton found an ancient joke about a woman who might have passed gas while sitting on her husband’s lap. This joke dates all the way back to 1900 BCE! It goes like this: “Something which has never occurred since time immemorial: a young woman did not pass gas in her husband’s lap.” It’s an old joke, but maybe not the funniest!
And that’s just the beginning of many interesting and funny facts about farts that I’m going to share with you today. If someone tells you they never fart, they’re probably not telling the truth. If you’re a human who breathes, you’re a human who farts. Farts are basically the result of air you swallow mixing with healthy bacteria and other compounds in your large intestine, eventually finding their way out. In other words, everyone does it—so embrace it!
Farts can be quite fascinating. For example, during the Tudor era in England, there was a popular dish called “farting Gale.” According to a cookbook from the 1500s, making this dish involved mincing mutton, seasoning it, rolling it into little balls, and cooking them in beef broth—basically meatballs. But don’t worry, the name has nothing to do with actual farts!
If you want to sound fancy when talking about farts, you can use the medical term “flatus.” This word comes from Latin and means the act of blowing. It was first used in 1651 and simply means “gas generated in the stomach or bowels.”
If you ever want to impress your friends, use the word “borborygmus.” This is what doctors call the rumbling noise your stomach makes when you have gas. So, how much gas is normal? Typically, adults produce about two pints of gas each day, which comes out in about 14 farts a day. If that seems low, don’t worry—it’s normal to fart up to 21 times a day!
Interestingly, 99% of a fart is odorless. It’s made up of nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and methane, which don’t smell. It’s the sulfur in foods like broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and dairy products that can make farts smelly.
No matter how sneaky you try to be, you can’t hold in a fart forever. You might be able to shift your body to make it quieter, but eventually, it will come out. Holding it in too long can lead to a louder release than if you had just let it out quietly.
According to Claire Collins, a professor of nutrition and dietetics at the University of Newcastle, holding in a fart for too long can lead to an uncontrollable release. So, think twice before holding it in! If you hold it in too long, it could even be reabsorbed into your bloodstream and come out through your mouth—so don’t take any chances!
Even though it’s considered rude to fart in public, the topic has been written about by some of history’s most famous writers. William Shakespeare included fart jokes in his plays, like in “The Comedy of Errors.” Geoffrey Chaucer also made jokes about it in “The Canterbury Tales.”
Famous authors like Mark Twain and J.D. Salinger have also written about farts, showing that it’s been a part of literature for a long time. James Joyce even found something romantic about it, as seen in his letters to his wife.
Interestingly, there are even studies about people who have a special interest in farts. Some people find them fascinating, while others have sought help for obsessive thoughts about them.
In November 2016, the Canadian Parliament had a debate about whether it was appropriate to use the word “fart” in their discussions, showing that even politics can have a funny side.
Many animals, including dogs and cats, also fart, and sometimes it can be quite smelly. However, not all animals do. For example, octopuses and sloths are thought to be among those that don’t fart.
If you think your farts smell less than others, you’re not alone. Our familiarity with certain smells can affect how we perceive them. And if you want to avoid unpleasant smells, there are even products designed to help with that.
Finally, for those keeping track, I’ve mentioned the word “fart” or a variation of it quite a few times in this article. Our next topic will be about forbidden places, so leave a comment with a suggestion for a chance to be featured. See you next time!
Design a colorful poster that highlights some of the most interesting facts about farts from the article. Include historical tidbits, scientific information, and cultural references. Use images and fun fonts to make your poster engaging. Share your poster with the class and explain why you chose each fact.
Conduct a simple experiment to understand the science behind gas production. Use yeast, sugar, and warm water in a bottle with a balloon on top to simulate gas production. Observe how the balloon inflates as gas is produced. Discuss how this relates to the gases mentioned in the article.
Work in groups to create a short skit about a historical fact related to farts from the article. You could reenact the ancient joke or explore the Tudor era’s “farting Gale” dish. Perform your skit for the class and discuss what you learned about how farts have been perceived throughout history.
Hold a classroom debate on the topic of fart etiquette. Divide into two groups: one arguing for the importance of holding in farts in public, and the other arguing for letting them out. Use points from the article to support your arguments. After the debate, discuss what you learned about social norms and health.
Choose an animal mentioned in the article and research whether it farts or not. Create a short presentation about your findings, including any interesting facts about the animal’s digestive system. Present your research to the class and compare your findings with those of your classmates.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript, with inappropriate language and references removed or modified:
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Did you know that the world’s first recorded joke was about flatulence? Hi, I’m Erin McCarthy, editor-in-chief of MentalFloss.com. Bathroom humor has a long history. In 2008, researchers at England’s University of Wolverhampton identified an ancient joke about a woman who may or may not have passed gas in her husband’s lap, tracing it all the way back to 1900 BCE. The Sumerian quip goes as follows: “Something which has never occurred since time immemorial: a young woman did not pass gas in her husband’s lap.” Hey, we said the joke was old, not funny!
And that’s just the first of many fascinating and humorous facts about flatulence that I’m going to share with you today. If you’ve ever encountered someone who swears they don’t pass gas, they’re likely not telling the truth. If you’re a human being who breathes, you’re a human being who releases gas. Gas is essentially the byproduct of the air you swallow mixing with the generally healthy bacteria and other organic compounds in your large intestine, then finding its way out of your body. In other words, everyone does it—accept it, embrace it!
Besides, flatulence can be quite interesting. For example, during the Tudor era, there was a popular English delicacy called “farting Gale.” According to one sixteenth-century cookbook, making the dish required mincing mutton, seasoning it, rolling it into little balls, and cooking them in beef broth—essentially meatballs. But don’t worry, the two terms are etymologically unrelated.
If you want to avoid any confusion with friends who love Tudor-era cuisine, you might want to use the proper medical term for flatulence: “flatus.” It comes from the Latin word meaning the act of blowing. The first known use of the word occurred in 1651 and is simply defined as “gas generated in the stomach or bowels.”
If you ever want to elevate your conversation, try using “borborygmus,” which is the term gastroenterologists use to describe the rumbling noise your stomach makes when you have gas brewing. So just how much gas is normal? Typically, adults produce about two pints of gas each day, which sneaks out via an average of 14 releases per day. If that number seems low to you, don’t worry—it’s perfectly normal to pass gas up to 21 times a day.
Interestingly, 99% of what constitutes flatulence has no smell at all; it’s made up of nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and methane, all of which are odorless. It’s generally when sulfur makes its way into the mix—mainly through foods like broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and dairy products—that things start to have an odor.
No matter how discreet you think you are, you cannot hold in gas indefinitely. Sure, you can often position your body to prevent it from escaping loudly, but eventually, it will come out. If you’re not so lucky, holding it in could lead to a louder release than if you had let it out quietly.
According to Claire Collins, a professor of nutrition and dietetics at the University of Newcastle, holding it in for too long can lead to an uncontrollable release. So think carefully when making decisions about flatulence! If you hold it in too long, it could even be reabsorbed into your bloodstream and released through your mouth—so don’t take any chances!
Just as it’s considered rude to pass gas in public, the word itself has long been viewed as impolite. However, that didn’t stop some of history’s most celebrated thinkers from writing about it. William Shakespeare was known for his humor, as seen in works like “The Comedy of Errors,” where a character remarks on the nature of words and wind. Geoffrey Chaucer also included humorous references in “The Canterbury Tales.”
Famous authors like Mark Twain and J.D. Salinger have also touched on the topic, showing that it has been a part of literature for centuries. James Joyce even seemed to find something romantic in the subject, as evidenced by his letters to his wife, where he humorously referenced it multiple times.
Interestingly, there are even studies on the topic of flatulence as a fetish. Some individuals have been found to have a particular interest in it, while others have sought help for obsessive thoughts related to it.
In November 2016, Canadian Parliament had a debate about the appropriateness of using the word “fart” in the chamber, highlighting how even political discussions can take a humorous turn.
In the realm of pets, many animals, including dogs and cats, also pass gas, and it can sometimes be quite pungent. Interestingly, not all animals do; for example, octopuses and sloths are thought to be among those that do not.
If you believe your gas smells less offensive than others, you’re not alone. Our familiarity with certain odors can influence our perception. And if you want to avoid unpleasant smells, there are even products designed to help with that.
Finally, for those keeping track, I’ve used the word “fart” or some variation thereof quite a few times in this video. Our next episode will be about forbidden places, so leave a comment with a suggestion for a chance to be featured. That episode will be up next Wednesday. See you then!
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This version maintains the informative and humorous tone while removing inappropriate references.
Farts – A natural bodily function where gas is expelled from the digestive system through the rectum – In science class, we learned that farts are caused by the breakdown of food in the intestine, releasing gases like nitrogen and oxygen.
Humor – The quality of being amusing or entertaining, often used in literature to engage readers – The author used humor in the story to make the characters more relatable and to lighten the mood during tense scenes.
History – The study of past events, particularly in human affairs – In our literature class, we discussed how historical events influenced the themes and settings of classic novels.
Science – The systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment – Our science project involved experimenting with different materials to understand their properties and reactions.
Literature – Written works, especially those considered of superior or lasting artistic merit – We explored various genres of literature, including poetry and drama, to understand their impact on society.
Bacteria – Microscopic single-celled organisms that can be found in various environments, some of which can cause disease – In science class, we observed bacteria under a microscope to learn about their structure and role in ecosystems.
Intestine – A part of the digestive system where nutrients are absorbed and waste is processed – We studied how the intestine works to break down food and absorb nutrients essential for the body.
Nitrogen – A chemical element that makes up a large part of the Earth’s atmosphere and is essential for plant growth – In our science experiment, we learned how nitrogen is crucial for the growth of plants and the production of proteins.
Oxygen – A chemical element that is essential for respiration in most living organisms and is a major component of the Earth’s atmosphere – We discussed how oxygen is vital for life and how it is used by our bodies to release energy from food.
Sulfur – A chemical element that is often found in minerals and is important for various biological processes – In our chemistry lesson, we examined how sulfur is used in the production of fertilizers and its role in the environment.
