[John Chapman (OP)]

Can anyone tell me, is there any biological or even socialogical reason why most people enjoy (or at least tolerate) the smell of their own farts but detest the smell of anyone else's? Does this indicate a common characteristic running through all of any one person's farts, regardless of what they have eaten? If so can a fart be used to identify a person, perhaps forensically? Might I one day be asked by a policeman "would you mind farting into this bag, Sir?"

[John Chapman (OP)]

Or is it just me?! []

[Make it Lady]

It is not the case for me. Some of my farts make me wish I wasn't with me. They are so dense you could cut them with a knife. I doubt the police will by a guff detector!

[graham.d]

I think it's psychological. It is bit like why tickling the soles of your own feet is quite tolerable, but not if someone else does it.

[paul.fr]

It is not the case for me. Some of my farts make me wish I wasn't with me. They are so dense you could cut them with a knife. I doubt the police will by a guff detector!

Are you a man now? Happy operation day!

oh, I hate all fart smells. But comedy noises are OK.

[Chemistry4me]

Because they know when they're about to fart, so their noses are also ready. But when someone else does it, pheeeewww...... (just my guess).

[Im a Geek on the Edge]

I remember Chris Smith saying in one of the shows that each person has a unique blend of intestinal flora. I'm sure that he said something about being able to grow cultures of gut bugs and making a bacterial profile of a person. I'm also pretty sure he said that the mix of bacteria you have stays with you for life and has certain repercussions on health and weight gain.

This would suggest that the products of those bacteria might also be unique to an individual and maybe a person is more tolerant of their own farts because they live with the unique blend of gases within them at all times. Just a thought!!

[neilep]

Or is it just me?! []

It is most certainly not just ewe .

Oh my !!...catch it in your hand and inhale that hefty goodness !!..Puts hairs on your chest !! Eyes roll back and I'm in Euphoria Avenue

I luff it !!..(My own that is !!....not someone elses..that would be bad and wrong)

[Karen W.]

It is not the case for me. Some of my farts make me wish I wasn't with me. They are so dense you could cut them with a knife. I doubt the police will by a guff detector!

Mine rarely have odor but when they do.. its horrid..... LOL.. Something That can be embarrassing to say the least! The boys in my family smell horrid like something crawled up inside and died!! ewwwwweeeee Gag me with a spoon!

[neilep]

It is not the case for me. Some of my farts make me wish I wasn't with me. They are so dense you could cut them with a knife. I doubt the police will by a guff detector!

Mine rarely have odor but when they do.. its horrid..... LOL.. Something That can be embarrassing to say the least! The boys in my family smell horrid like something crawled up inside and died!! ewwwwweeeee Gag me with a spoon!

Love your farts Karen ! clebrate the aroma !

[Karen W.]

lol......Celebrate the odor within huh? LOL...LOL.......

Wasn't ther a question awhile back asking if an odor could  kill you?...Well...............Lol..

[John Chapman (OP)]

Much as Geek said above, I have just heard Chris Smith on the Australia's RN Breakfast Science & Technology podcast (catch it if you can) talking about intestinal bacteria. I quote:

"Your gut bacteria spectrum is more unique to each individual one of us than our fingerprints are".

So, farty jokes apart, I reckon each of us DOES has a unique combination of fart gasses.

[Karen W.]

Thats interesting.. I wonder if they will ever use that in a criminal way!

[DrN]

Surely when you smell a fart, you're actually inhaling (sniffing) molecules that have eminated from the rectum of the farter?

Perhaps we are more comfortable with our own farts because we know where they've been!

[Chemistry4me]

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[DrN]

LOL!!  []

[John Chapman (OP)]

Surely when you smell a fart, you're actually inhaling (sniffing) molecules that have eminated from the rectum of the farter?

Why do farts smell anyway? It's not just the smell of methane. Are we breathing in tiny bits of poo suspended in the gas?

[FuzzyUK]

Are we breathing in tiny bits of poo suspended in the gas?

Not unless your nose is deliberately inserted into the offender's rectum.

There is a way of getting round the embarrassment of smelly farts and that's to use a deodorant or a stain stick called 'VANISH'. Stick it up your arse and you disappear - then everybody wonders where the smell is coming from!

Warning: this procedure may make your eyes water.
Not advised for under 18 year olds.

[Chemistry4me]

Uhh...okay, why don't I try! []

[John Chapman (OP)]

And another thing!

Last night I was sitting on the settee and the dog was lying next to me with his head in my lap. And I farted. It was about a 70 percenter. Not toe curling but fairly potent. The dog, however, appeared to be oblivious to it. I thought for a moment I had killed him but I think he was just enjoying an interaction with his master. So tonight I tried it with the cat. Same result.

Why don't cats and dogs mind the smell of farts?