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Farting is the great equalizer. Kings have done it, astronauts can’t escape it, and you’ll do it at least a dozen times before the day is over. On average, a fart exits your body at 10 feet per second—faster than some people jog—carrying with it a cocktail of gases that are mostly harmless, until the tiniest whiff of sulfur sneaks in and ruins the room. From cows changing the climate to Shakespeare sneaking fart jokes into his plays, flatulence has shaped science, history, and culture in ways we’d never admit out loud. It’s smelly, it’s funny, and—believe it or not—it’s surprisingly important.