Smacks of trouble: why is farting in space deadly?

Farting in the presence of others is indecent, and in space it is deadly dangerous. Such a danger was told by NASA astronauts who have repeatedly plowed the space expanses. In addition to an unpleasant smell, farting poses a threat to the lives of all crew members. Find out how farts on board a spaceship can lead to death, from our material.

On average, a person farts 15 times a day. If there is nothing dangerous in this under normal circumstances, then in zero gravity conditions in a closed spacecraft gases can carry a deadly threat.

NASA astronaut Mike Massimino was part of the crew of the space shuttle Columbia in 2002. His team went into space to repair the Hubble telescope. The second time an American flew on the Atlantis ship was in 2009.

The cosmonaut explained that unpleasant body odors do not dissipate as they do on Earth. They "hang" in a closed space. Since there is not enough air flow inside, it is necessary to get rid of pollutants and carbon dioxide in a special way.

Mike says that astronauts' digestive systems don't work very well in zero gravity, so there are problems. Astronauts try to go to the toilet right away when they feel that they are about to fart. In this room, ventilation is slightly better, which allows you to get rid of the stench faster.

Another NASA astronaut, Clayton Conrad Anderson, spent 152 days on the International Space Station in 2007. He admitted that he caused inconvenience to other crew members with his farting, because his gases have a very unpleasant smell.

But the irritation of astronauts is not the only problem that may arise on board. Some types of gases that are produced by our digestive system can easily ignite. As a result, a deadly situation may arise in the spacecraft.

Hydrogen and methane, present in the intestinal gases of most mammals, can be explosive in a confined space. So, in 1967, a short circuit occurred on board the Apollo, which claimed the lives of three crew members. The incident occurred in just a few seconds in conditions of high pressure and pure oxygen filling the cabin.

In 1969, scientific research was conducted on the flammability of astronauts' farts. As a result, it was found that the food given to the Apollo crew members made their gases more flammable than usual. Scientists have confirmed that intestinal bacteria that emit hydrogen and methane can pose a fire hazard in a closed chamber.

Meanwhile, the Briton has become world-famous, thanks to a special talent for spoiling the air. He travels around the planet, performing musical compositions with his farting.