Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Scientific Study Reveals Formula For 'World's Funniest Fart'

Scientific Study Reveals Formula For 'World's Funniest Fart'
Scientist Dr. Helen Pilcher reveals the mathematical formula for the world's funniest fart (David Parry/PA)

The “world's funniest fart" has been revealed by scientists in a specially commissioned study.


The Flatulence Report, for The Beano, has worked out a mathematical formula that was tested for 176 different noises ranging from low to high pitch, short to long, dry to wet and from loud to squeaking.

Components in the formula included a fart's intensity, length, social embarrassment and the number of children present divided by the age and gender of whoever hears it.

The funniest fart came out on top in a public vote with a mean score of 8.27 out of 10 – also being described as “unfortunate" and “potentially messy."

Scientist Dr. Helen Pilcher led the research with the help of “Beano boffins" and sound specialists Bose Professional.

She said: “The funniest fart is long, loud and ever so slightly wet. This gives it the potential to cause major social embarrassment.

Fart formulaDr. Pilcher's formula for the funniness of a fart (Taylor Herring/PA)

“The research and our formula show how funny farts are. It's as simple as that.

“Anyone who says they've never farted or found a fart funny has pants that are probably on fire."

Young people in recording studioKatie Downey, 10, and Matti Kolirin, 11, undertake research as voice actor Grant Leat records the world's scientifically funniest fart sound (David Parry/PA)

The study found farts are likely to be found 5% funnier by men than women, with children also finding them 23% funnier than adults.

Young adults in the 18-24 age group were the least amused.

Mike Stirling, editorial director of Beano Studios, said: “We hired some genuine boffins to prove it, by helping us release the funniest fart of all time – you know, for science."

Suuuuuure.

Giphy

More from News/science

Lupita Nyong'o
XNY/Star Max/GC Images

Lupita Nyong'o Recalls Being Offered More Slave Roles After '12 Years A Slave'—And Fans Are Heartbroken

Lupita Nyong'o may have instantaneously become a Hollywood "it" girl" after winning an Oscar for her first-ever film role in 12 Years A Slave back in 2014, but it's been anything but the typical Hollywood story since.

Nyong'o, who was raised in Kenya, recently spoke to Beninese singer Angélique Kidjo on CNN's Inside Africa about where her career has gone since that big Oscar night.

Keep ReadingShow less
Simu Liu
Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix

Marvel Star Simu Liu Sparks Debate After Calling Out How Far Hollywood Has Backslid With Asian Representation

Actor Simu Liu, best known for his role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, called out Hollywood in a post on social media lamenting Asian actors not getting the same opportunities as their white counterparts.

In a since-deleted post, the actor said the film industry has backslid in Asian representation onscreen, responding after X user @SelfieIgnite posted on X, urging Hollywood to “put more Asian men in romantic lead roles."

Keep ReadingShow less
Tim Walz; Donald Trump
Meet the Press/NBC; Pete Marovich/Getty Images

Tim Walz Fires Back At Trump With A Simple Demand After Trump Uses Ableist Slur Against Him In Deranged Rant

Ever since MAGA Republican President Donald Trump campaigned on a promise to release the full files compiled by his Department of Justice and the FBI to indict and arrest registered sex offender and longtime friend of Trump Jeffrey Epstein in 2019, voters have been demanding Trump keep his campaign promise.

Now there's a call for the release of another file the Trump administration has been hiding—the POTUS' medical file. More specifically, the results from Trump’s October 2025 MRI.

Keep ReadingShow less
Vivek Ramaswamy
Noam Galai/Getty Images for Cantor Fitzgerald

Vivek Ramaswamy's Controversial Solution For How To Make Parenting 'More Affordable' Is Not Going Over Well

Billionaire entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy is facing criticism after he touted—and later deleted—a video speaking about his plan for how to make parenting "more affordable" by making school year-round.

Ramaswamy is currently campaigning for the 2026 Ohio gubernatorial election and at a time when many around the country are struggling with the rising cost of living, he thinks he's got one major thing figured out.

Keep ReadingShow less
Corporate buildings
Photo by Sean Pollock on Unsplash

People Explain Which Industries Are More Corrupt Than Anyone Wants To Admit

As consumers, we all have some corporations that we support and others we do not, based on the brands we use and the topics we focus on. And we'll inevitably have some opinions about the corporations we don't support.

But there's a possibility that they might be much worse in nature than we even gave them credit for.

Keep ReadingShow less