第3116期:The art of farts

It's a topic people usually avoid, yet it's a universal human experience. Flatulence, affectionately known as farting, is simply the releasing of gas from the backside. The word itself traces back to the Latin 'flatus', which literally means 'a blowing' or 'wind.' While it is often the butt of the joke, we do it for very practical reasons, which boil down to digestion. Most mammals have a complex, symbiotic relationship with their gut microbes which break down food. Digestion requires a lengthy process of fermentation, and flatulence is simply the inevitable byproduct of these hard-working bacteria. Passing gas is a sign of a highly functioning digestive system.

这是人们通常回避的话题，但却是人类的普遍经历。 胀气，被亲切地称为放屁，简单来说就是气体从背部释放出来。 这个词本身可以追溯到拉丁语“flatus”，字面意思是“吹”或“风”。 虽然这通常是笑话的笑柄，但我们这样做是出于非常实际的原因，归根结底就是为了消化。 大多数哺乳动物与分解食物的肠道微生物有着复杂的共生关系。 消化需要漫长的发酵过程，而胀气正是这些辛勤工作的细菌不可避免的副产品。 排气是消化系统功能强大的标志。

But we humans aren't the only mammals that like to let one off. In 2017, National Geographic and the BBC reported the results of an online survey. It revealed some incredibly unlikely farters, like zebras, which have been documented farting withevery single step whilst running away from predators. On a bigger scale, cow flatulence and burps are packed with methane, a potent greenhouse gas that is actively driving global climate change. And, if you've ever had a domesticated pet, you might've even blamed your own farts on them! I know I have.

但我们人类并不是唯一喜欢放纵的哺乳动物。 2017年，《国家地理》和BBC报道了一项在线调查的结果。 它揭示了一些令人难以置信的放屁动物，比如斑马，有记录显示，它们在逃避捕食者时每走一步都会放屁。 从更大的范围来看，奶牛的胀气和打嗝充满了甲烷，这是一种强效温室气体，正在积极推动全球气候变化。 而且，如果您曾经养过宠物，您甚至可能会将自己的屁归咎于它们！ 我知道我有。

There are other fascinating examples of farting from the animal kingdom. The Sonoran coral snake expels air forcefully to startle predators when it's in danger. In an article published on The Conversation, it's mentioned that herring, a type of fish, will release gas as a way to communicate with each other that predators are nearby. It was also written in IFLScience that the beaded lacewing, a type of larva, can take down six termites with one fart!

动物王国还有其他有趣的放屁例子。 索诺兰珊瑚蛇在遇到危险时会用力喷出空气来惊吓捕食者。 在《对话》上发表的一篇文章中提到，鲱鱼是一种鱼类，它会释放气体，作为相互交流捕食者就在附近的一种方式。 《IFLScience》上还写道，珠状草蛉是一种幼虫，一个屁就能消灭六只白蚁！

So it seems that some animals pass gas as an evolutionary survival tactic. Those not so 'silent but deadly' farts can ward off predators as well as let others know that there's potential danger. While farts for us are mainly the result of digestion, perhaps, like the Sonoran snake, herring and beaded lacewing, we could embrace the breeze and utilise them against our enemies? Hahaha, just joking!

所以看来有些动物放屁是一种进化的生存策略。 那些不那么“无声但致命”的屁可以抵御掠食者，也可以让其他人知道存在潜在的危险。 虽然放屁对我们来说主要是消化的结果，但也许，像索诺兰蛇、鲱鱼和串珠草蛉一样，我们可以拥抱微风，利用它们来对抗我们的敌人？ 哈哈哈，开玩笑啦！