Why do we sneeze?

About this episode

We’ve all become a lot more self-conscious about sneezing since COVID-19 came along. Whether you’re out in the street or worse in crowded public transport, sneezing gets you more concerned looks than it did before, and people tend to keep their distance. On top of that, we now all better understand how sneezing works. That’s right, by sneezing we propel micro-droplets of mucus potentially full of germs into the air. Indeed, MIT research showed that the mist of mucus and saliva released by a sneeze can reach speeds of 100 mph and be projected over 8 metres! Thanks to high-speed cameras, scientists have also noticed that once the sneeze has passed, a cloud containing droplets can remain suspended in the air for several minutes. How does sneezing work then? Why do some people hold back sneezes? ⁠In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions !⁠ To listen to the latest episodes, click here: ⁠Do we have a treatment for Monkeypox at last?⁠ ⁠Who are digital nomads, the new generation of remote workers?⁠ ⁠Who is FN Meka, the world’s first AI rapper?⁠ A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. First Broadcast: 14/9/2022 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices