Farts are funny and sometimes smelly. But are they a legitimate topic of research? More than 40% of people worldwide are estimated to suffer from some kind of functional gut disorder — from acid reflux, heartburn, indigestion, constipation and irritable bowel syndrome to inflammatory bowel disease. So, yes, freelance science writer Claire Ainsworth thinks so. Claire speaks with Emily about two teams of scientists studying intestinal gases, who she profiled in a recent New Scientist article — and why understanding people's gut microbiome through a fart-shaped window may help treat these conditions at the source. Read more of Claire's reporting for New Scientist.Have another bodily function you want us to explore or just want to report to us about a funny time you passed gas? Email us at [email protected] to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
What are the scientific implications of studying farts?
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But could they be a topic of scientific research?
There are some scientists who are trying to collect them, physically collect farts.
Claire Ainsworth got her PhD in developmental biology, and she's now a freelance science journalist based in the UK who covers things like farts.
I thought, what on earth is motivating these people to go to such lengths and such care to collect farts? How did they get funding for that? Why would you do that? And it took me on this really fascinating journey into just how important and fascinating farts really are.
Claire published a piece about all she'd learned in New Scientist, which is a science magazine, in December. She says, And yes, producing intestinal gases. But studying people's gut microbiome directly and non-invasively is difficult. Like, beyond sampling what comes out either end of the human body, how do you learn what's inside?
And this is why gases are so cool, because they kind of let us eavesdrop on the conversations that are going on within this ecosystem and how that relates to our health.
And to our diet. More than 40% of people worldwide are estimated to suffer from some kind of functional gut disorder. These are chronic conditions like acid reflux, heartburn, indigestion, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease. They can be really painful, so understanding our gut microbiome through a fart-shaped window may help treat these conditions at the source.
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