Australian Science Media Centre’s Pick of Most Bizarre Research Projects of 2013 Includes Danish Surgeons’ Study of Farts on Planes

As the year 2013 draws to an end, the Australian Science Media Centre picked the most bizarre research project made the past 12 months.

One of their key selections involves the study by Danish surgeon of flatulence while on airplanes, which has pressurised cabins that are contributory to passengers farting when on board.

YouTube/Buzz60

Among the suggestions made by the surgeons was for air carriers to reduce the volume of fibres on inflight meals. On a tougher stand to prevent air pollution, there was also a proposal to disallow farting air travelers by having them take a methane breath test to separate the airy from the non-airy ones.

Lest they be accused of discrimination against gassy and "noisy" passengers, there was another suggestion to have odour-absorbing charcoal on airline seats or blankets to musk any foul smell.

After all, the passenger they could be discriminating against might be a powerful one, such as this American politician who looks like a former first lady and secretary of state.

YouTube/Viral Quickies

The study made by the academics from Copenhagen University appears to have excluded the availability of Shreddies or underwear that could mask the smell of fart, but not hide its sound. These undergarments were invented in 2006 by Paul O'Leary of Britain and sells online for $30 to $40, depending on style.

YouTube/MyShreddies

Other bizarre studies noted by the centre include the investigation by American researchers of the human sense of smell and their discovery that the tongue could detect five distinct tastes while the nose could detect 10 different types of odour, ranging from fragrant to pungent, where farts usually belong to.

Also cited were efforts of Japanese researches to better understand what people dreamt by reading their brainwaves, the discovery by Italian animal doctors that a dog tail's direction when wagging is an indicator of the pet's moody, and Swedish mathematicians figuring out that people tend to clap loudly if people around them are likewise clapping noisily when viewing a performance.