London, Apr 1: A scientist has solved the `mystery' behind belly button fluff after gazing at his own navel for three years.

Georg Steinhauser, a chemist, has discovered a type of body hair that traps stray pieces of lint and draws them into the navel.

After studying 503 pieces of fluff from his own belly button, the expert reached the conclusion.

Chemical analysis revealed the pieces of fluff are created when abdominal hair catches fibres from clothing and channels them into the belly button, where they are "compacted to a felt-like matter".

According to Steinhauser, the finding can explain why navel fluff is largely a male phenomenon.

He discovered the crucial role of abdominal hair by asking friends and colleagues about the contents of their own belly buttons.

"The existence of abdominal hair was a major prerequisite for the accumulation of navel fluff," New Scientist quoted him, as saying.

"It seems this work has broken a taboo. People are starting to talk about navel fluff," he added.

The study has been published in the journal Medical Hypotheses. (ANI)