How far do coughs and sneezes travel?
Coughs and sneezes spread diseases, and you’ll definitely want to cover your mouth after reading this.
Asked by: Charlie Mack, Uckfield
Given the number of infections that can travel through the air, it’s horrible when someone coughs over us.
But according to research by scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, it’s not just the person next to us we should worry about: coughing spreads droplets as far as six metres, and sneezing as much as eight metres. These droplets stay suspended in the air for up to 10 minutes.
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Authors
Robert is a science writer and visiting professor of science at Aston University. He likes maths, West End musicals and hamsters.
