Sneezes Travel Over 100 MPH

The force behind a sneeze is a remarkable biological event, generating a gust of air that can easily outpace a cheetah's sprint. This isn't a voluntary action but a powerful, protective reflex designed to clear irritants from your nasal passages. When your body detects an invader like dust, pollen, or a virus, it triggers a rapid sequence: a deep breath is taken, pressure builds in the lungs, and then the diaphragm and chest muscles contract violently. This built-up pressure is then unleashed in a high-velocity blast, primarily through the nose and mouth, to forcibly eject the offending particles.

This explosive expulsion creates a turbulent cloud of respiratory droplets, which is where the real health implications lie. A single sneeze can aerosolize tens of thousands of these tiny droplets, each one capable of carrying pathogens. While the largest droplets fall quickly, the smallest can become an invisible mist that travels across a room and remains suspended in the air for up to ten minutes. This allows viruses to linger long after the person has left, waiting to be inhaled by the next occupant. It’s this combination of incredible speed, vast distance, and airborne persistence that makes covering a sneeze so critical to public health.