What is the 'Better Marriage Blanket'?

The inventors of the Better Marriage Blanket insist that it's a "real solution to a very real problem," but how exactly will this simple quilt, currently commanding widespread curiosity, transform your relationship — and how on earth does it work? (Watch the blanket's diverting TV ad below.) A quick guide:

What does it do?

In the words of the blanket's creators, it "completely and quickly absorbs the odor of flatulence."

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How does it do that?

Its "activated carbon fabric" — the same material used to protect soldiers from chemical weapons — absorbs the foul-smelling emissions that can slowly tear apart any couple without a Better Marriage Blanket.

Who had the idea?

Inventor Francis Bibbo, a Denver science teacher and deer bow-hunter. The concept gelled after he bought a military chemical suit from a surplus store to test whether it could conceal his body odors from the sensitive noses of deer. "It is a very practical bedding option," says Bibbo.

Are people actually buying this?

Apparently so, reports Rosemary Black in the New York Daily News. "Callers to the toll-free ordering number get a recording saying that because of the high volume of calls, orders must be placed online." Bibbo's website offers the blanket in three sizes and two colors (beige and white), starting at $29.95. It's not just a domestic product: "Bibbo foresees its use on planes, cruise ships, submarines and senior citizen homes as well."

Is this the only such product available?

No. During the warm summer months, gas-afflicted people who wish to sleep without sheets might consider buying airtight "UnderEase anti-flatulence underwear," which traps noxious emissions within its polyurethane-coated nylon exterior.