Science Twitter really is a world of its own. If they're not trying to find the most impressive animal genitalia using the hashtag #JunkOff, then they're helping us answer the world's burning questions, like "Do snakes fart?"
Thanks to David Steen, an ecologist at Auburn University in Alabama, we now know that snakes do in fact fart.
But the question, first tweeted by Daniella Rabaiotti, a PhD student at the Zoological Society of London, turned into something much bigger than expected, and the hashtag #DoesItFart was born.
.@AlongsideWild this is why #DoesItFart needs to be a thing
Scientists came together to help satisfy our curiosity about which animals fart, and which do not.
All the responses were put into a Google spreadsheet for everyone to learn and enjoy. The sheet, compiled by Nicholas Caruso, a PhD candidate at Alabama University, has more than 70 entries so far.
Editable (let me know if it doesn't work) google sheet, for all your #DoesItFart needs Feel free to share & update!… https://t.co/TnownC5PBf
"As you can see by the list most of the answers were 'yes', so a lot of animals fart – just like us," he told BuzzFeed News. "I think it's interesting how this may have started a new debate of 'what is a fart'.
However, not all of the information in the spreadsheet has been verified, so Caruso warns that it should be taken with "a grain of salt".
@DaniRabaiotti FYI rats fart and sometimes they fart on me
"Using a Google sheet that anyone can go in and edit seemed like the best way to get the most info as we can and engage as many people as possible," Caruso told Gizmodo.
"Obviously user-submitted responses not subject to any verification or oversight should be taken with a grain of salt," he added.
The hashtag was certainly very eye-opening.
@DaniRabaiotti @Julie_B92 Orangutans fart! Quite often in fact. I have had orphaned babies climb on me as they fart! #Doesitfart
The #DoesItFart hashtag spawned another hashtag, #DoesItPuke, which has a separate page in the Google sheet.
Hedgehogs: #DoesItPuke? Yes. Little quillballs can even get carsick, poor sweeties. #DoesItFart? Yes. ProTip: Keep the fish-kibble far away.
Caruso told BuzzFeed News that he doesn't have any plans for the spreadsheet. Instead he'll focus on his dissertation, with the hope of graduating in May this year.
I think it's safe to say that it will be difficult to look at some animals in the same way again.
