First, the Queensland government encouraged us all to poop at work, and now our national science agency has created an app so citizens can record their farts.

The Chart Your Fart app is already creating a big noise in the news, with the primary response being WTF? (What the fart)

I’ll admit that at first I wondered whether the CSIRO was pulling my leg, but I soon realised they really do want to pull my finger.

Apparently, the CSIRO is hoping to capture flatulence data from Australians, including frequency, stench, loudness and duration, to help researchers better understand the nation’s gut health.

‘Gut health’ typically refers to the health of our gut microbiome, which consists of trillions of microbes that are both helpful and potentially harmful, as well as the health and function of the organs, tissues and membranes that make up the gastrointestinal system

A CSIRO gut health study in 2021 found more than 60 per cent of Australians reported excessive flatulence, with more than 40 per cent experiencing it most days.

Dietitian Megan Rebuli said a person’s gut health was an important indicator of their overall health, and that the average person passes wind between seven and 20 times per day.

“This is the big question – what is normal? We really want to get some good quality, comprehensive data to try to pin down that number,” she said.

“When you go into the app you can click record and then there are five characteristics that will appear. The app will start to literally chart when you fart.”

Indeed, the Chart Your Fart app allows users to log features including stench, linger and detectability on a sliding scale.

As one commenter on social media stated, “better to log your fart than fart your log”.

Okay, maybe this study into Australian wind power is a little weird, but I don’t see why it’s causing such a big stink.

After all, gut health is a major issue, with scientists flagging it as something of a ‘missing link’ when it comes to the role it plays in any number of physiological issues.

From colon cancer to acne to depression, growing research shows a direct correlation between gut health and a host of physical ailments, as well as being closely linked to emotional and psychological wellbeing.

And the suspicion that farts could actually be the first alarm of gut trouble might be right on the nose, with Ms Rebuli warning it’s the smelly ones we should be wary of.

Hydrogen sulphide is the gas responsible for stench and it’s produced by bacteria in the gut breaking down and fermenting a broad range of foods during digestion, but it could also be an indicator that something is wrong.

“If it’s a sudden onset of something, a particularly strong smell, or if it’s quite different, that could be a sign that there’s something else going on, perhaps an infection or some kind of intolerance,” said Ms Rebuli.

If nothing else, I think this app could be a real icebreaker (windbreaker?) at Christmas time. Forget the Christmas crackers, with all that festive excess, just imagine the family harmonies you can create.

On a more serious note, I truly hope the CSIRO can make some explosive discoveries because, anecdotally, I have yet to gather with any group of women without at least one discussing gut issues.

I’m not implying that it’s some sort of farty party, it’s just that, from adolescence on, women are plagued by tummy troubles.

If recording our farts can help us get to the bottom of this, sign me up.