Farting and the smell of rotten eggs could save millions of lives

The pungent odour of rotten eggs and human flatulence is due to a compound called hydrogen sulphide, and researchers say it could hold the key to treating diabetes, stroke, heart attack and dementia.

“Hydrogen sulphide is well known as a pungent, foul-smelling gas in rotten eggs and flatulence,” says Dr Mark Wood of Biosciences, at the University Of Exeter. “It is naturally produced in the body and could in fact be a healthcare hero with significant implications for future therapies for a variety of diseases.”