Are Farts Flammable?

Ever wondered if your farts could light a fire? 

In this episode, we ignite the science behind flatulence — from gut bacteria brewing gas to the surprising role of cow diets in fighting climate change. Along the way, we’ll sniff out ancient remedies, modern fart apps, and why your toots are more than just comic relief.

Thanks to Daniel's intriguing question, we've managed to sprinkle the word 'fart' 32 times into our episode, proving that science can be both educational and downright funny. 

What's Your Wonder?
Is there something you’ve been wondering about that you think would make a great episode of I Wonder? We’d love to hear from you! Submit your question through our website, and you might just hear it featured on an upcoming episode!

www.iwonderpodcast.com

Episode Transcript

I Wonder Podcast Host (00:03):
Hey there , curious minds.
Welcome to another episode of IWonder, the show where we
explore the questions you'vebeen wondering about.
Today's question might make youlaugh out loud.
It comes from Daniel who askedare farts really flammable.
elieve it or not?
This isn't just a funnyquestion.
There's a lot of fascinatingscience behind it.

(00:24):
Farts can be fiery, literally.
They're produced by both humansand animals and they're tied to
things like gut health and evenclimate change.
Oh, and in Australia, thegovernment recently built a fart
tracking app and are askingresidents to use it.
Wow, so much to unpack in thisepisode.

(00:46):
Let's clear the air and getinto it.
Let's start with the basics.
A fart, or flatulence, is simplygas that exits your digestive

(01:09):
system.
It's your gut's way of gettingrid of excessive gas created
during digestion.
This gas comes from two mainsources: swallowed air and the
work of gut bacteria.
Swallowed air comes in when weeat, drink or even talk, taking
a trip through our digestivesystem before it exits.

(01:32):
The rest of the gas is createdby gut bacteria breaking down
food.
These bacteria help digestthings like fiber, producing
gases like nitrogen, hydrogenand sometimes methane.
Most people pass gas about 10to 20 times a day.

(01:55):
That's up to one and a halfliters of gas daily enough to
fill a big soda bottle.
While most farts are odorless,the smelly ones get their stench
from sulfur compounds releasedduring digestion.
It's a totally natural process,even if it's a bit embarrassing

(02:18):
at times.
Now to answer Daniel's questionare farts flammable?
Yes, farts can be flammable,but it depends on what they're
made of.
The gas in a fart is usually amix of nitrogen, carbon dioxide,
hydrogen, oxygen and methane.

(02:41):
Both hydrogen and methane arehighly flammable.
If a fart contains enough ofthese gases, then… it can
ignite when exposed to a flame.
That said, not all farts havemethane.

(03:03):
About 30 to 60 percent ofpeople produce methane-rich
farts, depending on their dietand gut bacteria.
People who eat a lot offiber-rich foods, like beans and
lentils, tend to produce moregas that could contain methane.
Foods like cabbage and broccoliare also notorious gas

(03:27):
producers.
While this might sound amusing,lighting your farts on fire is
dangerous, and so is playingwith matches.
Do not try this at home, unlessyou want to try to explain why
your pants are literally on fire.

(03:51):
Humans aren't the only onespassing gas.
Many animals do too, but cows,sheep and goats take the farting
crown when it comes to methaneproduction.
These animals, known asruminants, have specialized
stomachs where food fermentsduring digestion, producing

(04:12):
large amounts of methane.
Most of this methane isreleased through burps, with a
smaller portion coming fromfarts, and it significantly
contributes to greenhouse gasemissions.
Greenhouse gases are badbecause they trap heat in the
Earth's atmosphere and make theplanet warmer, similar to how a

(04:33):
greenhouse keeps plants warm byholding in heat.
A single cow can produce up to500 liters of methane per day,
enough to fill two bathtubs.
When you consider the millionsof cows around the world, the
impact on global warming is huge.

(04:55):
To tackle this issue,scientists are exploring ways to
reduce methane emissions fromlivestock.
One promising idea is to addseaweed to cattle feed.
Research shows that this cancut methane production by as
much as 80%.

(05:16):
Imagine a future where cowsmunch on seaweed and help fight
climate change at the same time.
Farts aren't just funny.
They're also a window into yourgut health.
Passing gas is a sign that yourdigestive system is working,
but the frequency, smell andamount of gas can tell you more.
If you're passing a lot of gas,it might be because you're

(05:38):
eating high-fiber foods likebeans or broccoli, which are
known to ferment in the gut.
Smelly gas often comes fromsulfur-rich foods like eggs or
onions.
On the other hand, persistentor painful gas could signal an
issue like lactose intoleranceor irritable bowel syndrome.

(05:59):
Paying attention to your body'ssignals can help you understand
how your diet affects yourdigestion, and if you're curious
about tracking it, there arelots of options.
The Australian government hasnow released a fart tracking app
and are asking people to recorddetails like the frequency of

(06:21):
their farts, their loudness,ranging from barely there to
thunderous, the smell - odorlessto downright toxic, and even
the fart duration.
There are actually lots of farttracking apps available
worldwide, including those thatwill track farts while you sleep

(06:42):
.
Now why would anyone want totrack this?
One reason is that researcherswant to figure out what's normal
and how diet and lifestyleimpact digestion.
It's a great example of citizenscience, where everyday people
contribute data to help answerbig questions.
So yeah, sharing your fart datamight just help advance medical

(07:05):
research and save the world.
Farting also isn't unique tohumans and large animals.
Termites, believe it or not,produce methane as well.
Their tiny digestive systembreaks down wood, releasing a
surprising amount of gas.
And let's not forget theage-old wisdom, silent farts are

(07:30):
often the smelliest.
A reminder to always be on yourguard.
Flatulence has even made itsmark on history.
In ancient Rome, emperorClaudius supposedly encouraged
public farting to prevent healthissues.
Whether or not that's true,it's clear that passing gas has

(07:50):
always been a part of life, nomatter how fancy we think we are
.
So, to answer Daniel's question,are farts flammable?
Absolutely, if they containenough methane or hydrogen.
But beyond their flammability,farts are fascinating for many
reasons.
They're a natural part ofdigestion, they can offer

(08:13):
insight into gut health andthey're even the focus of
cutting-edge research, whetherit's through apps like Chart
your Fart or studies on methaneemissions.
Tracking flatulence is moreuseful and more entertaining
than you might think.

(08:34):
Thanks again to Daniel for sucha great question and for giving
us the opportunity to make anepisode that uses the word fart
31 times.
Fart, okay, now 32 times.
And remember, if you have aquestion you're curious about
submit it on our website,iwonderpodcast.
com, and we might just featureit in our next episode of I

(08:57):
Wonder.
Until next time, stay curiousand keep wondering.