I can't be sure, but I'm fairly positive that the most Googled word this fortnight was 'gas', thanks to the Gulf conflict and the shortages of said element in India. Now, one would have expected that, given our rulers — politicians, bureaucrats, judges — are so full of gas, there would never be a shortage of it here, but apparently there was, notwithstanding the denials by Epstein's buddy.

This has led to a veritable  explosion of memes and wisecracks on social media on the subject, sparing not even our revered prime minister's enviable grasp of science. And when one speaks of gas in India, can the malodorous subject of flatulence be left unaddressed?

So this week, I've decided to develop further the spark of scientific genius ignited by our PM and explore more deeply the subject of gas, or to be precise, its by-product — flatulence.

And I'm amazed at how well researched this subject is! Did you know, for example, that research has established that farting is a natural and healthy process, a voiding of the by-products of digestion, just as the gas flares in a petroleum refinery? That one should fart at least 32 times a day? Less, and your gut microbes are not functioning at optimum level; more, and your........

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