Fart chart

The global cattle population is partly being blamed for climate change for polluting the atmosphere with methane gas emitted in cow burp and fart.

The greenhouse gas is also released by manure, and livestock accounts for about a third of human-related methane emissions, which are collectively responsible for about 30 percent of global warming, CNN reports.

While livestock raisers are using feed mix additives to cut methane production in a cow’s stomach, it is impractical for grazing cattle. British scientists are coming up with an alternative: a fart vaccine.

The Pirbright Institute in the United Kingdom, a virology lab focusing on livestock, is leading the development of the cow fart vaccine, which is supposed to work by producing antibodies that bind with the bacteria in the cow’s rumen that produce the methane, and stop it from doing so, according to CNN.

Meanwhile, Australia’s national science agency CSIRO found in a 2021 gut health study that 60 percent of Australians reported experiencing excessive flatulence, with up to 43 percent experiencing it most days, the agency’s website reports.

CSIRO wants to get to the bottom of the issue and is conducting further study of people age 14 and above. It urged Australians to participate by downloading its free Chart Your Fart phone app.

Participants just need to track the quantity and quality of their flatulence for at least three days. In particular, they will grade their fart based on stench, loudness, duration, linger and detectability, using the app.

By sharing their fluffs, people will help to create a chart of what “normal” wind may look like in different groups of Australians, CSIRO said.