"We know [herring] have excellent hearing but little about what they actually use it for," said research team leader Ben Wilson, a marine biologist at the Bamfield Marine Science Centre, British Columbia, Canada. "It turns out that herring make unusual farting sounds at night."

Wilson and his colleagues named the phenomenon Fast Repetitive Tick, which makes for the appropriate, FRT. But unlike the human version, these FRTs are thought to bring the fish closer together. They only seem to fart like this in the company of their fellow fish.

In college, my fraternity brothers bonded by releasing their own FRTs as well, however.Two teams carried out the research in Canada and Britain. One team studied Pacific herring in Bamfield, British Columbia, while the other group observed Atlantic herring in Oban, Scotland. The fish were transferred to large tanks where their behavior was monitored using hydrophones and infrared video cameras. Gee, I wonder where they put the hydrophones. The fish were found to produce high-frequency sound bursts up to 22 kilohertz. The noise was always accompanied by a fine stream of bubbles.

So how are fish farts used as communication?Herring can detect sound frequencies up to around 40 kilohertz, way beyond the hearing range of most other fish. So a method of nighttime communication using pulses of air would enable herring to maintain contact after dark, but without giving their position away to predatory fish.

What seems to trigger the farting extravaganza is darkness and high fish densities, suggesting that herring indeed do use farting as a means of communication.

What seems to trigger farting extravaganzas for men are usually chilli, beer, and an eagerly awaiting audience.

This research does actually have useful purposes. Scientists fear that noise pollution by humans could interfere with the herring farts - and thus not enabling them to hear each other. Also, dolphins and whales are believed to use FRTs as an aid for finding herring - a staple in their diets. Noise pollution could adversely affect their ability to find food. Finally, studying the FRT phenomenon could help fishermen find shoals of herring for commercial purposes.

Like I said, I don't believe herrings are the only animals that use flatulence to communicate. Humans have developed different types of farts as well. Some of these types are used to communicate with fellow human beings, some are meant to inflict pain, and others attempt to solicit a response, such as laughter.

Here are just a few types of human flatulence:

Silent But Deadly Fart(SBD) - This fart is like a stealth weapon. Not a sound can be heard, yet the smell is foul enough to clear a room. Many times, people combine the SBD with a "fart and run"...often walking away and leaving a trail of destruction behind.

Eggy Fart - Smells like rotten eggs (or Hydrogen Sulphide). This kind has been known to make people ill, and make their eyebrows fall out. This is toxic and strikes fear into others. Even the farter cannot stand his own smell.

Windy Fart - This fart is released with a wooshing sound. Perhaps the anus musles are quite relaxed, and the smell isn't too bad at all. This fart might be caused by swallowing air. This is a non-toxic fart.

Drumroll Fart - Maybe you're holding in your farts, and you sort of have these internal ones. Sounds like a drumroll...preparing for the big release. At times, it sounds like growling.

Big Birtha - Staccato rip, long substancial resonance, and amazing awful smell. This is the one that people swear came out of a horse or a dog that just ate Beefarino. Some use the Big Birtha as a weapon or warning to stay away. Many times, the farter might even bend over in anguish, as this one could backfire and injure the anus. Other times, you swear the farter probably crapped in his pants.

Wet Fart - This one sounds like a child making a wet raspberry. You can actually hear the liquidity in the flatulance. This fart communiates to others that the farter probably has the "the runs."

Big Bertha is my favorite... It makes me ill when others do it, but when I pull one off that basically has the quality of a symphonic performance I always smile and thank God that he has blessed me with such gifts.

How come farting fish are cute and farting people aren't? I guess your definitions answer that question. I realize that every human being farts, but I still think it is a human plague of sorts. Just nasty! I grew up calling them "windies" and still call them that sometimes. It's like putting a ring in a sow's ear. The nice word can't camouflage the horridness of it.

Wow. That wsa probably more information than will ever be useful to me. Great. Now my head is crammed full of this stuff. I think something about the periodic table just fell out of my brain to make room for this stuff. Super.

I mean really dont british scientists have better things to be researching? Like a cure for cancer maybe .Every time you post some weird findings or people getting married to aquatic creatures Britian is in there somewhere.*Sigh*LOL.As for the gas, I know, WP produces the most foulest of odours sometimes, but I think I have grown immune to them now.....Me I never do it, because I am a lady of course ;)

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About Me

Blogging since 2005.
Medical sales warrior by day, writing ninja by night...
I am the author of The Mechanica Wars series. The first book, Dragonfly Warrior, will be published in January, 2014 by 4 Wing Press.
I love science fiction, fantasy, literary fiction, biographies, and chocolate chip cookies.
info@jaynoel.com