Buzz
Everyone experiences gas—humans, cats, goats, ferrets, frogs, whales, and many other creatures—except for a few species like octopuses and birds. But how about plants, such as cacti and ferns? Could it be that our leafy greens once had the ability to release gas?
If we stick to the Merriam-Webster definition of fart—expelling intestinal gas through the anus—then no, plants don’t fart, since they lack anuses. However, they do release gases, including methane, a greenhouse gas similar to what humans and animals release. Essentially, plants have their own form of 'farting.' As Popular Science points out, microbes in trees generate gases similarly to how microbes in the human digestive system create gas, and methane is released through the tree’s bark or stems.
Patrick Megonigal, a biogeochemist and associate director at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, mentions that it’s unclear whether these plant 'farts' serve any purpose for the trees. However, studies have shown that 'some trees fart more than others,' according to Megonigal in an interview with PopSci.
It wasn’t until 2006 that researchers discovered some above-ground plants emit methane. While swamp plants had already been known to release methane that bubbles up through mud or water, scientists hadn’t realized that other types of plants and trees do the same.
Not all plant farts are created equal. A 2016 study in Plant Physiology found that certain plants, like the 'shy' Mimosa pudica, actually release a stinky gas when touched. These plants emit sulfur-rich gas from tiny sacs along their roots when disturbed. In fact, six other Mimosa species are also known to 'fart,' which scientists believe could serve as a defensive tactic to protect their territory from other plants. So, unless you want to find yourself enveloped in a cloud of sulfurous gas, it’s best to give them some space.
