File this one under, “and they decided to study this WHY?” In an almost-unbelievably titled new paper in the New Zealand Medical Journal—“Flatulence on Airplanes: Just Let It Go”—researchers revealed some pretty surprising findings about passing gas, particularly on airplanes. For instance, did you know that …

… The average person passes gas about 10 times per day.

… The smell of women’s gas is significantly worse than men’s.

… Flatulence on airplanes is particularly insidious because approximately 50 percent of cabin air is recirculated, which recycles the odor.

… People produce more gas at cruising altitudes than at sea level because of changes in air pressure.

… A typical fabric airplane seat cushion can absorb about half of the odor expelled. However, the leather seats common in first and business class sections tend to repel the gas, creating a “less comfortable experience.”

… People with a weak pelvic floor are less able pass gas silently, and should consider “decoys” to distract from the noise such as “coughing, sneezing, verbal outbreaks or spontaneous applause.”

… Smoking bans on airlines increase the risk of “nasally detecting even small amounts of intestinal gases.”

… Flatulence in the cockpit can pose a real flight threat: Holding in gas can decrease concentration and “affect [a pilot's] abilities to control the airplane.” On the other hand, “letting go” of the gas could negatively affect his copilot, “which again reduces safety.”

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