Submitted by Claire Zuliani @MsZuliani & Michael Frankfort @mfrank_76
Zoologist Dani Rabaiotti has embarked on a project to catalog which animals pass gas, inspired by a question about whether snakes fart. Collaborating with other scientists, she has compiled a list of 81 animals, revealing surprising facts about animal flatulence. For example, termites emit significant methane, contributing to climate change, while beaded lacewing larvae use toxic gas to paralyze termites. Some fish use gas bubbles to communicate, and herbivores like rabbits and horses need to pass gas to avoid fatal bloat. Interestingly, birds have the anatomy to fart but typically don’t due to their diets. The project has gained popularity on social media with the hashtag #DoesItFart.