• Question: What happens when you fart in space?

    Asked by Ferds da bird to Simon, Julia, Delma, Andrew, Alex on 10 Dec 2015. This question was also asked by Sara.
    • Photo: Andrew Winnard

      Andrew Winnard answered on 10 Dec 2015:

      Just like on Earth, the smelly gas that comes out with mix and difuse through the environment in your spaceship or space station. Eventually the environmental systems should scrub the air of the not so nice smell though 🙂

    • Photo: Andrew Winnard

      Andrew Winnard answered on 10 Dec 2015:

      Squeak! Monkonaut Sam here helping Andrew with all the great questions you’ve been sending in!

      When you do it on Earth the smell doesn’t usually stay around for too long, but it’s different on the ISS because there’s not as much natural airflow as there is on Earth and obviously you can’t just open a window to let the smell out!

      I hope that answers your question, and Andrew and I both hope you enjoy the launch on Tuesday!

      #monkonaut

    • Photo: Simon Challis

      Simon Challis answered on 10 Dec 2015:

      Hey Ferds da Bird,

      I guess there is one other big difference between Earth and Space. In space you are in a microgravity environment so in theory this bodily function according to Newtons 2nd law could provide you some kind of propulsive force with which to move if you were free floating however Im not going to ask an astronaut any time soon if someone has conducted this experiment already and in which configuration the subject would have to be in for optimum results 😉

    • Photo: Delma Childers

      Delma Childers answered on 11 Dec 2015:

      I’m going to guess that you really wouldn’t want to do this in a space suit. 😀 You’re also not alone in wanting to know this – NASA conducted a few studies in the 1960s to look at the potential dangers of flatulence in space. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/17/astro-farts-retro-1969-st_n_1210099.html

    • Photo: Alexander Finch

      Alexander Finch answered on 11 Dec 2015:

      In general, despite having two advanced systems to clean the air, many astronauts report that the space station is quite smelly! But I guess after a while you get used to it…

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