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Just like justifying eating dark chocolate by citing studies that show it’s good for you, you can now fart during flights to your heart’s content, and if anyone looks at you askance you can explain that medical studies have shown that holding it in is bad for you.
Gastroenterologist David Rosenberg led the study, whose findings were published in the New Zealand Medical Journal. They found that passengers break wind more often during flight, and that the discomfort, bloating, and intense concentration that go along with holding it in are detrimental to the individual. To mitigate the odiferious effect on passengers, the study’s authors recommended that airlines add activated charcoal as a component of the seat cushions.
The study failed to draw a conclusion on one important issue, however. They could not reach a answer on the question of whether the pilot should let ‘er rip or keep it in. On one hand the side-effects of holding it in could diminish his or her concentration and therefore impair their ability to fly the plane, but on the other hand the door in the cockpit could be a distraction to the other members of the flight crew and affect their ability to perform their duties.
We’re not making this up. Check it out on Gadling.