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Did you know that scientists study farts? Yes, the same fart which is the gas released from the anus. The word flatus is said to have originated from Latin meaning a blowing or breaking wind.Although Flatus could be a source of comedy or embarrassment depending on one's culture, it is a medical term used to mean the gas generated in the stomach or bowels often released through the anus. Also, please keep in mind that flatus is not 100% generated in the stomach as a fraction of intestinal gas might be air swallowed from the environ. Hence, flatology is defined as the scientific study of a part of medicine that deals with the generation of gas in the stomach, bowels and the air swallowed from the environment.

Flatulence is a general phenomenon and is bound to happen to everybody although the volume, concentration and frequency vary from one to the other. Flatus is released through the rectum and it finds itself in the rectum through contraction of the muscles in the intestines. At times, there are sounds heard during the release of flatus, These sounds are as a result of the vibration of the anal sphincters, which acts as the gate to the rectum(passage for faeces and flatus). This sound could also be related to the closeness of the buttocks which makes the gas force its way out leading to sound production.

The mechanism

Flatus is generated by the bacteria fermentation that happens in the alimentary canal. Over 99% of the component of flatus are gases that do not smell. And the remaining <1% is a combination of volatile sulphur compounds. The non-smelly gases are hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, methane* and carbon dioxide. Nitrogen is not produced in the gut, it's gotten from environmental air and methane is not produced by all humans.

8 surprising things you should know about Flatus.

Ok, I compiled a list of very important Facts you need to know about Flatus. They are the underlisted:

1.About 500-1500ml of flatus is generated per day and it is expelled in about 10-20 farts. Source

2.The flatus is highly flammable and you can actually light it up due to the presence of hydrogen and methane gas in it. Source

3.You adapt to the smell of your flatus over time and it doesn't irritate you. Source

4.Over 99% of gas generated does not smell. Source

5.Sweet things taken can increase the frequency of flatus. Source

6.Flatus results from the healthy and complex ecosystem of the intestines, so if you don't fart you have a problem. Source

7.Termites are the organisms that produce the most flatus. Source

8.Female flatus tend to smell more than that of the male due to their highwe concentration of hydrogen sulfide( a compound of sulphur that stinks) Read more on Hydrogen Sulfide

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