How Sneezing Works | STUFF YOU SHOULD KNOW

Spring is so many wonderful things, trees budding, flowers blooming, getting. to wear straw hats. But for a lot of. people, it also means a miserable season. of allergies. And sneezing is the poster. child for allergies. Let's just admit. it. So we chose our episode on sneezing. so we can at least help you understand. what the heck is going on with your. face, even if we can't cure you. We wish. we could. So seal all the doors and the.

windows and kick back with this episode. Welcome to Stuff You Should Know, a. production of iHeartRadio's. HowStuffWorks. Hey and welcome to the podcast. I'm Josh. Clark. There's Charles W. Chuck Bryant. over there. Jerry is a disembodied. spirit, but she's still with us, haunting us. And uh we are now set up.

for achievement, which means this is. Stuff You Should Know. Set up for. achievement? That sounds like a very '80s Reagan era. campaign. It does. It definitely does. Uh certainly not the kind of thing that. would irritate you, whether it be in. your nose or your brain or anywhere. Not not the best segue, huh? I'm surprised you didn't try and work uh. sternutation in there somehow. I love that word. Are you Were you. familiar with that word before?

>> I don't think uh you know, I'm 49 years. old. I don't think I'd ever heard. sneezing being called sternutation. I. got I'm Oh man, I just re- remembered. I'm 44 now. So you you got me beat, but. I'm in the same boat with you. Yeah, I'd. never heard that, but that is what uh if. you're a scientist well, if you're a. scientist and you want to be a real. stiff, you'll probably say sternutation. If. you're a scientist that wants to be. friends with people, you'll still. probably say sneezing. And it I mean it. sounds super clinical, but it's actually.

really old. It's from I think the first. appearance of it is in a text from 1576. It sounds old. To me it sounds clinical, but. there's also a couple derivative words, sternutative. or sternutatory. are things that make you sneeze. And. Howard Stern, Baba Booey. Right. Achooey. So, we're talking sneezing obviously. because we just discoursed on. sternutation. I'm adding an extra syllable there,

aren't I? Sternutation. >> That's the Josh Clark way. Why do I have. to complicate? Why do I have to. complicamicate things? Uh we're talking about snis- snis- the. sneezing. And sneezing is a really. sort of and I hate it when people call. things like this elegant, so I'm going. to refrain, but Mhm. it's just a very. efficient system that the human body has. worked out. to basically. allow your your nose and we'll get into.

all the the ins and outs of how it all. happens, but. >> Mhm. to allow your nose and your nasal. passage and your brain to act as. bouncers and just say get out of my body. fast. >> pal. Like real fast. You're cut off, cigarette smoke. You're cut off, Chanel. number seven that nobody likes. You know? Sure. Um that's uh yeah, that's a pretty pretty good way to put. it. I mean and it's a ancient ancient. reflex, too. I mean basically all.

mammals at least sneeze. Some more than. others. I didn't realize this, but. apparently iguanas um sneeze the most. because it's part of their digestion. Yeah, and then I don't know what it's. technically called, but you know when. dogs do what it's called the reverse. sneeze? Yeah, Maymo has that bad. It's so scary. It is. It is and we finally got um, her. checked out, and um, they verified she. doesn't have a collapsed trachea, which. is when it really is threatening. It's. just uh, something to do with her nasal.

passages. She's brachycephalic. Yeah. >> had a dog that that has that? I mean, I've I've never had a dog that didn't do. it occasionally. Uh-huh. Um, but Nico, I feel like goes, and it's not. often, but it's it's like a, you know, it's like can be prolonged like for like. a minute, and it just seems like, are. you about to die? Yeah, it is. >> It's really bad. >> you're just supposed to leave them. alone, too, right? Just let them do it? Um, no, we help her out. We'll We'll rub. her throat, um, just kind of stroke it.

It seems to help. Uh, and then sometimes. we'll just lightly plug her nostrils to. kind of give her like a hitch to it. And. uh, that that frequently cures it, too. Sometimes though, yeah, she just has to. work it out. But, she gets it every time. she gets excited, and she gets excited a. lot, so. It's sad for her. Yeah, but it's really. not a sneeze, uh, actually, cuz a sneeze is when you were. Mhm. uh, you're trying to get something. out of your nose, and that nose is. is a pretty amazing little system. It's.

uh, it's an amazing filtration system, how it's designed. with those narrow nasal passages. It's. not like we have these big. face holes. Like, they're narrow for a. very good reason, Mhm. >> and that is to create turbulence inside. your nasal passages, and you know, that turbulence shoves all. that air that you're inhaling to the. sides of your nasal passages, Yeah. uh, the nasal mucosa, and that's got tiny little hairs called. cilia,

and the cilia mainly is sort of like a. pre-doorman just saying like, "Yeah, your ID is good. Why don't we. just move you to the back of the throat, Mhm. and we'll flush you out that way.". But, if it's too much, that's when you. need to call in the big bouncer to. initiate that sneeze response. Yeah, sometimes they're just like, "No, I'm. staying here. I'm not leaving. You can't. kick me out.". >> I hate the back of the throat. super. drunk, right? >> Yeah. Yeah, so I didn't realize that, but it makes sense that we swallow a lot. of the particles that we inhale through. our nose, which is gross, but effective.

Or cough it up. We poop it out. eventually, right? Yeah. But yeah, if they get if they get stuck. in the nose, then they do something. magical, almost as magical as soap. But um when it's when they're sticking. to the sides and they're they're not. going anywhere, it's clear they're not. going anywhere, they actually like. irritate some specialized cells that are. in that nasal mucosa, mast cells and. uh. eosinophils, I think, but basically.

they're they're there to look out for. little particles that decide they don't. want to leave, and when those things get. irritated, they release histamines, which trigger this reaction, like a an. allergic reaction, basically, where your. nose is runny, and um they also. simultaneously start sending signals to. your brain saying, "Hey, we we got one. We need some help." Yeah, and I know we. talked about this a little bit with the. I know the pollen episode. Mhm. And I. feel like we did another allergy-centric. one.

But I can't remember, but the whole. thing takes about a second for the. single sneeze. Uh and you know, it's going to send that. message, like you said, that chemical. message to the sneeze center of the. brain, which is in the lateral medulla. Yeah. And. uh you know, the lateral medulla gets. like everything in the brain, it gets. that signal and says, "You know, all I got to all I got to do. is react fast whenever the body tells me. to do something." And in this case, it's. to jet out whatever is in the nose as.

fast as possible. Right. So, and I was looking this up, if. you want to get super clinical, if. you're the kind of person who uses words. like sternutation instead of sneezing, there's actually something called an. afferent phase and an efferent phase. And an afferent phase is when you get. ready to sneeze. Like your your nerves. have been um tickled and are triggered. and are itching and they're sending. messages to your brain uh in your sneeze. center. And then the the efferent phase. is when your sneeze center goes, "Okay,

it's go time." And that's actually. pretty interesting stuff. And the way. that that happens is basically from what. I can tell through a system of nerves, olfactory nerve, uh ethmoidal nerve, which is a terrible word, and then um. your trigeminal nerve, which is. basically responsible for most of the. sensation in your face and your ability. to bite and chew. And when these nerves. spring into action, they hit that. message uh or the sneezing center in. your brain and your sneezing center. sends it back over these this kind of.

same switchboard of nerves in your face. And all this is happening in just, you. know, a very short amount of time. Yeah, I mean, like I said, the whole. thing takes place in less than a second. Um. and it's got to reach, you know, in. order for it to reach that sneeze. center, it's got to be past a certain. threshold of. uh irritation, basically. Uh and once it does reach that irritable. point, which of which there's no going. back. He's had too much to drink. Everybody in the bar knows it. That's.

when it finally sends uh that impulse. down through the head and neck to. initiate that response that involves a. lot of muscle groups. Uh you know, if. you when you sneeze, it's a. and especially with some people, it can. be a pretty violent um. action for the body. Yeah, like if you. stop and take stock of what you're doing. right then, you might find that you're. hunched over, one of your legs is in the. air, like your knee's kind of pulled up. Um.

you you your face is all scrunched up, your neck is tight. Uh there's a A of. muscles involved. And the reason why is. because you're taking in a bunch of air. and then you're expelling a bunch of air. with a lot of force to to get that thing. that won't leave out of your nose. Yeah, like you can and I've seen professional. athletes that have been sidelined from. sneezing. Uh. if you've got a bad back or something. like it can it can really hurt. Uh. luckily I don't have back problems, but. occasionally I have. Mhm. And a sneeze.

can really tweak it to where you're like. that's when you know you're in old man. territory. You have a sneeze and you're. like hold on, I can't get up. Yeah, I'm. going to have to lay down this weekend. But your abdomen, your chest, your. diaphragm, uh your vocal cords, you. know, you mentioned that you take that. deep inhalation. That's that. like right before you go, and that. builds up a lot of pressure in your. chest. And that happens because your. vocal cords just initially clamp shut. Right. Yeah, so you're sucking in a. bunch of air, holding it, and so the.

pressure's building in your thorax. Um. and then. when you release it, your your vocal cord openings open up to. allow the air out, but then also your. diaphragm is pushing that air out really. violently so that it's going out your. mouth and your nose. I saw about 100 mph. is the the speed that that can hit. Yeah, easily. Um around 100 mph. That is. crazy to think about.

>> Yeah. Uh your eyes close, but you know, we can go ahead and dispel the the old. myth that. um. you can pop your eyes out if you keep. your eyes open during a sneeze, right? Yeah, not true. And apparently there are. some people who do keep their eyes open. when they sneeze, and they show quite. clearly that your eyes don't pop out. That's just that's just would be. impossible. Plus, they usually close. anyway, just automatically. >> Yeah, there it's a very small group of. people who sneeze with their eyes open. Most people just it's like a involuntary.

um it's part of the involuntary process. of sneezing. I don't know if we said. that or not, but sneezing is an. involuntary reaction to an external. stimuli in your nose. Yeah, like you can't. I mean, you can try and trigger a sneeze. and we'll talk about certain things that. can trigger a sneeze, but you definitely. can't make yourself sneeze, like full. stop. Yeah. No, no. I mean, yeah, there's definitely things you can do to. make yourself sneeze, like you're. saying. But, there are things you can do. to keep yourself from sneezing, whether. you want to or not is a different. question, cuz you know, sneezing can.

feel pretty good if you don't throw your. back out. Uh, well, we'll talk about my. sneeze pattern later. I know I've talked. about it before, but Okay. I I find it. fascinating. You uh you accidentally um uh. tap out drink your Ovaltine in Morse. code through your sneezes? Is that your. thing? Very nice. Thanks. Should we take. a break? Let's take a break, Chuck, and then. we'll come back and talk more about. sneezing.

Well, now, when you're on the road, driving in your truck, why not learn a. thing or two from Josh and Chuck? It's. Stuff You Should Know. All right. Hey, man, before we get back into it too. far, I realized I didn't give a. shout-out to the guy who gave me the.

idea for this episode. Dr. Sneeze-a-Lot? Yeah. Dr. Todd G. Sneeze-a-Lot. Um, no, one of. my uh neighbor friends, Wesley, uh was like, "Hey, man." He he actually. listens and he's like, "Hey, man, have. you guys ever done one on sneezing?" And. I'm like, "Sure, of of course we have.". He's like, "Oh, cuz if you haven't, you. know, you really should. That's a great. one." And I went back and looked into my. astoundment, I we had never done one on. sneezing. Like never. I just can't. believe that that wasn't like one of the.

first 10, you know? Yeah, that seems. like it would be an early Stuff You. Should Know. For sure. And like it it. kind of feels like one of those right. now as we're doing it. But um you know. >> our neighbors think I'm unemployed. It's. great. Yeah. But hats off uh to to Wes for coming up. with that one. Thanks, Wes. Yeah. And. leave Josh alone. He's one of He's the one that we got the. um the um love your mom and dad.com. stuff for. And he's like we're halfway. done with our room spray. We need some. more cuz we're using it so fast. And.

you're you're the pusherman? Yeah. I was like first one's on me, next. are going to cost you. Yeah, I don't. correct my neighbors. They think I'm on. I'm down on my luck, so that's all good. in my opinion. No, that's definitely the. way to go. He he's very nosy, so he um. he found out and I had to finally just. stop lying. Oh, that's good stuff. So, we're we're. back to sneezing. We're talking. sneezing. And um. one of the things we mentioned was the. uh sneezing center, which is this it up until not too many.

years ago a theoretical part of the. brain that um. causes us to sneeze, that coordinates. this involuntary response. Cuz you're. not like your brain's not consciously. saying like, "Okay, now diaphragm, expel. the air." Like this is all like we said. involuntary. Um That'd be great if you. had to sneeze say that every time you. wanted to sneeze. Right. Expel air. Um. so, it makes sense that there would be a. region that was responsible for this and. cuz we've already we'd already seen it. in cats. Don't ask how we know where it.

is in cats, but in in cats it's in the. medulla. And so, it was hypothesized. that it was in the lateral medulla in. humans, too. And finally, I think around 2005, there. was basically incontrovertible evidence. that came in the form of this fisherman. I believe he might have been Spanish, um who had this sneezing fit one day of. like about 20 really violent sneezes in. a few minutes and then all of a sudden. he stops sneezing and couldn't walk.

right. Like he his gate was affected. almost like he had a stroke. And. apparently either he. caused a lesion on his lateral medulla. from the sneezing or that violent. sneezing was like an initial symptom of. a lesion. Kind of like here's your last. sneezes ever. And then he went to the. doctor and they started testing him and. they would do things like put capsaicin. in his nose like red hot chili pepper in. his nose which makes everybody sneeze. It's like a universal.

um. sternutatory. Right? Makes everyone sneeze and it. wouldn't make this guy sneeze. It would. burn his nose and it would make his nose. runny but it wouldn't make him sneeze. On the other side it would make him. sneeze the other nostril but not the not. the right I think. And so they found. this lesion on his lateral medulla and. they said sneezing center, welcome to. our understanding. I had such a bad red hot chili peppers. joke that I just sat on through that. whole spiel. I that's very grown-up of. you.

Should I say it? Sure. We're Whoever. said we were grown-ups? No, I was just thinking the doctor would. uh. do the the capsaicin and ask him how he. feels and he'd say, "Well, I don't know. Sometimes I feel like I don't have a. partner.". That was pretty good. Well, you know. It's better than uh. fight like a brave. I don't know. I'm. trying to think of chili pepper songs. What if the doctor came in wearing. nothing but one of those reflector. headbands and a sock on his penis? I saw. that coming. And that was it.

Oh, that'd be great. That You know you. got the right doctor. Yeah, you do. The party doc. So, uh things that can make you sneeze. I know you kind of rattled off some. jokes about perfume and smoke earlier. Oh, I wasn't joking. But those are all. realities uh the the most common. uh cause of a sneeze is and the the. collective term is uh rhinitis. Uh r h i n i t i t i s Mhm. And that is. just your sort of standard inflammation.

and swelling of your mucus membrane. when you got allergies, when pollen's in. the air, when you have a cold, but there. are all kinds of other things that can. cause a sneeze, too, that are all. different types of rhinitis. Yeah, and speaking of rhinitis, too, I. ran across a term this the clinical term. for a runny nose is rhinorrhea. How gross. Yeah, isn't that grody? Like that makes it at least 12 or 15. times worse than runny nose, you know? Yeah, weird. Yeah. So, there's um.

occupational rhinitis, which is. basically when stuff you're working. around makes you sneeze or irritate your. nose. Um things like cleaning supplies. or you know, flour I saw was a pretty. common occupational rhinitis. Uh sternutatory. or sternutative, depending on your. preference. Um cigarette smoke, if you. work in a place where they let you. smoke, like maybe a cigarette factory. Although, I heard that they don't allow.

smoking inside some cigarette factories. now in like North Carolina. Isn't that. just the the end-all be-all? W- You think they would allow you to do. that while you're working? They used to. up until very recently. >> Really? Oh, yeah. I have the impression. you could just pluck one off the line. and light it up. Wow. I guess if you're. a smoker, that's a big perk. It is, but then now they're like no. smoking inside, which leads you to the. follow-up question, why? Why would Why. can we not smoke in.

>> you, and they go, "What?". >> Very dangerous, you dummy. Uh let me see, you've also got the. hormonal rhinitis, uh which is uh women might experience. that when they have high estrogen. levels. Maybe if you're pregnant or you're on. the pill or you're going through. puberty, you might have some sort of. run-on sneezing episodes. Sure. There's. drug-induced rhinitis. There's certain. drugs that are have been identified. What'd you say? The hippest kind.

Right, yeah. Mushrooms will make you. sneeze. Apparently, I'm guessing that I didn't. see this anywhere, but this is an. educated guess. Tell me if you think it. sounds convincing. Those drugs probably. stimulate your mast cells to release. histamines. And then that just basically. almost like a phantom. allergen. Okay. That's what I'm going with. All right. But apparently NSAIDs, beta blockers, and some antihypertensive drugs are the.

ones that are known. drug-induced rhinitis sternutatories. If you are of advanced age, you might have what's called geriatric. rhinitis, which is that's when those. submucosal glands. atrophy. And that means your nose can get really. irritated and you might sneeze a lot. Right. That is very sad to me if you. think about it cuz there's not much that. can be done.

I am sure you're there's there you just. put like maybe Vaseline or something in. your nose. That's got to be the cure for. that. But it's just sad cuz it's like. your your little body's you know, running down. We should have a cure for that. Yeah. Like our medicine is not far enough. along in my opinion for to to for this. to be 2020. It's kind of a disappointing. 2020 everybody. Am I right? Yeah. So we've talked before Chuck multiple. times about photic sneezing, which I am.

a photic sneezer and I don't remember if. you are or not. I feel like I have, but I don't It's not. like roundly. a something that happens to me. I don't. think so. Okay. I am a photic sneezer. more than I'm a native-born Toledan. even. Maybe they're tied. >> So, how does it get you? Like anytime. you like turn on a light? Uh very rarely light. It's almost always. sunlight and I think it's just because. of the intensity of it. But yeah, like. if I walk out say like if I go see a.

movie in the middle of the day. >> Mhm. Yeah. I miss those days. I come out and it's very sunny. Sure. It. is guaranteed three sneezes in a row. Hm. Is that your usual pattern? Yeah, usually. And I looked into that. like why do we sneeze multiple times? Apparently, there's a very simple answer. for it and that's that your your brain. has determined that the the irritant. hasn't been ejected yet. But with photic. sneezing, it's it's almost like a it's. mistaken identity, right?

Yeah. Uh. I actually did see some other things too. about the patterns cuz that's always. fascinated me cuz I always sneeze in. threes. Oh, yeah. Okay. >> And um I did see where some some places. said that. just once isn't enough. So, it's like a. setup a get it to the front of your nose. and then it get out. But uh I also saw. where it could be genetic. Yeah. Like that you inherit a sneeze pattern. Oh, really? >> And that like double sneezers beget to. double sneezers. It makes sense because.

there are like photic sneezing is one of. a couple ways that you can. inherit a genetic sneezing trait. So, that would make sense. >> Yeah, that's right. Photo I'm sorry, photic sneeze reflex is passed on by. autosomal dominant inheritance. And. and I love this uh. this acronym. Cuz this is one of those reverse. engineered ones that we like so much. Do. you like this one? I like this one. I hated the other one. Yeah, man, with a passion. >> Like I wouldn't even I wasn't even going.

to bring that one up to be honest. >> Okay. Well, we'll just pass it by and. let everybody wonder for the rest of. their lives. >> But autosomal dominant compelling. helio. optha. ophthalmic outburst syndrome achu. It's a little rough. It is. I mean there's a whole D a whole. dominant in there that's missing, but. okay, fine. We'll we'll go with that. But that's the that is a a term for. photic sneezing that was um coined at. some some point by someone who's.

obviously. >> That's your biggest pet peeve, right? For acronyms is when they just sneak a. word in there and don't use it for a. letter. >> Yeah, it's lazy. Although I mean I get where they were. coming from. You don't want to be adchu. It's like why even why even do it? But but come you got to figure it out, you know? I mean just take dominant out. Just go with autosomal, you know? Yeah, no one Who would know? I wouldn't have noticed. So um you were saying was that it for. the patterns of sneezing patterns?

Yeah, I mean there are just a couple of. theories either hereditary or that it. just takes that much, but. I'm not I just don't know if I buy that. for myself cuz it's always threes and. it's not like I have a weak sneeze, so. it takes three. Mhm. I don't know. It it. feels ingrained somehow. Yeah, like if you only do two, you. notice and it does it feel incomplete? It does, but it that almost never. happens. Occasionally I'll do a four. banger. But.

I don't I don't know that I ever sneeze. once or twice. It's almost always three. Yeah. Uh and speaking of incomplete, if you. actually go if you experience the. afferent phase, but the efferent phase. isn't triggered, but it's enough to drive you nuts, um. there's things you can do and one of. those things that's recommended is to. look at a bright light or look kind of. don't look directly at the sun, but look. toward the sun. um and that should help jump-start that. efferent phase, the second part where.

the actual sneeze takes place. Yeah, okay. That makes sense. But they think. what's going on is that there's a a. crossover between um. the sneeze reflex arc and the pupillary. light reflex arc, which basically is one. nerve becoming so um stimulated that it. it it um. it stimulates by proxy the the other. nerve, the sneeze nerve. So, you're. getting so overloaded with bright light. when you see that sunlight that it it.

accidentally jumps on over to your. sneeze reflex as well and makes you. sneeze. It's like, are you getting all. this light? Are you getting this? >> Get a load of this. Yeah, and I think I think they've landed. on about uh. between 23 and 25% generally of people. have this photic sneeze reflex. Right. So, that's I mean, that's pretty. substantial. There are some other like. small identity groups of sneezers that. are far smaller than that. Um, apparently there are people who um.

there's a four families. Not one in four. people, four families as far as anyone. knows, who have something called um. sneeziation, which is where you if they eat too much. and they feel overly full, it will. trigger a sneezing attack. Yeah, that's I would call that rare. Yeah, four families for sure. And we're just going to pass right on. by, right, Chuck? Uh yes. Okay. Acronym. Um getting back to the photic sneezing.

though, they think it also could be a a. holdover and an evolutionary advantage. from when we were little babies Mhm. because little babies don't have they. can't blow their nose. They don't know. what that even is. No. So, the only. um they can't pick their nose. They. can't. they can't use any. implement at all to clear out their nose. except the sneeze. They rely on the. sneeze to get that mucus out or of. course parents who will suck that stuff. out through a. a little device. Yeah. Which is no fun,

but necessary. Or you hold them on their. side and you blow in their ear. It usually clears out the nose. But I should probably just go ahead and. say Yeah, don't do that. That was a. joke. You can whisper sweet nothings. Sure. But don't. Yeah, don't do that. But babies are are. pretty sensitive to that photic light. reflex and they think that may be a. reason. that basically we that's just sort of a. holdover from when we were babies. It. makes sense. It also makes sense to me.

that babies might have. more active or kind of raw or. nerve pathways. So maybe they're just. more sensitive to that that jump over. that crossover. Maybe. Plucking nose hairs, has that ever. happened to you? >> Every time. So it doesn't make me. sneeze, but it makes my eyes water like. I've just seen every long distance. commercial from the 90s all at once. Yeah, and it's interesting because those. you talked earlier about the trigeminal.

nerves that are all through the face. I think it's just all related like you. could you could pluck an eyebrow and it. could make you sneeze. And your eyes are watering and that's. part of your face like it's just all. sort of one big nerve bundle Mhm. that's. all interrelated and it could any of. those could trigger either watering of. eyes or or definitely sneezing. Even if. you like pluck a hair out of your head, that could do it. That's never happened. to me, but my nose hair and my eyebrow. hair Oh man, my eyes will start.

watering. It's not a pleasant experience. for sure. >> I've never plucked an eyebrow hair. Oh, every once in a while I'll get one. that's a big fat long goat hair. It just. suddenly comes up overnight. No, I've. seen I've got those too. Okay, well, I. pluck those. >> I just trim those. You know what's um. maybe I should trim them. That's a good. idea. Um but have you ever noticed if you get. one and there's almost invariably one on. the other side, too? Like they come up.

in pairs. Has has that happened to you? I have not noticed that. When you pull. on one, does the other one get shorter? That was wonderful, Chuck. That'd be. great. Yeah. It's like pulling that. spaghetti through your nose and out your. mouth. Don't do that, either. Can you do. that? Uh no, I've never tried to do. stuff like that. >> tried, either. I don't want to. No. Um. there's also a group of people who. sneeze when they become sexually. aroused. Yeah, that's a thing, apparently. Or if. you orgasm uh like after you orgasm, it.

could trigger a sneezing fit. Yeah, it's. a apparently a bigger group than than. you would expect. Some researcher went. around to internet chat rooms and said, "Hey, does anybody sneeze when they. become aroused or when they have an. orgasm?" And she found 17 people who. sneeze from sexual ideation and three. who sneeze from orgasm, which is that is. way more than I would expect from just. going around on internet chat rooms and. asking people, you know? >> Yeah, and also, we should point out way.

not scientific. No, not at all. But. yeah, anecdotally, it's still. impressive. But I read an explanation. for this. It's a terrible explanation, but it's an explanation by the Journal. of the Association of Physicians of. India. It's an Indian. journal, coincidentally enough. They suggest that. it's because the nose contains erectile. tissue. Which it does. Which erectile tissue is. just tissue that can become larger. engorged by blood flow.

And yes, you have erectile tissue in. your genitalia. Um yes, you have it in your nose, but. they're not they're not in any way. related as far as anyone's ever even. thought aside from the the people in. this journal. Isn't that the most. bizarre thing you've ever heard? It's. pretty bizarre. Like your nose is. becoming aroused is basically what. they're saying. And so you sneeze. Yeah. Fantastic. Uh there's also intractable. sneezing or psychogenic.

And that is something that's almost. exclusive to young women. Um girls uh adolescents basically going. through puberty. And these are girls who. may not suffer from allergies. They're. not sick with a cold or anything, but. can go on these big sneezing binges for. days and days at a time. Yes. Uh and apparently the the world world. the world Oh my goodness. The world record holder is a girl named. Donna Griffiths who was 12 when she.

started. She started in 1981, January of 1981. And her sneezing fit ended 977 days. later in September of 1983. I remember. hearing about this one. And as it I mean. as it went on, I was way too young for. this, but you know, had I had I been. more aware, I would have felt very bad. for this girl. Because as it went on, she could if she. sneezed once in a day, it was considered. part of the record. And I think that. that was kind of how it was toward the.

end. >> that first year sounds like a bear. Yeah, no good. A million sneezes in the. first 365 days, which is basically a. sneeze a minute on average. And Chuck. and. it's impossible to sneeze in your sleep. You cannot sneeze in your sleep. If you. sneeze while you're sleeping, you wake. up to sneeze. Your brain just isn't. functioning correctly to sneeze while. you're sleeping. So that means this girl. was averaging a sneeze a minute um just. during waking hours. But a sneeze a.

minute over 24 hours compressed into say. 10 or 12 hours that she She awake that. day. Or would she. wake herself up sneezing? I don't know. If If that's the case, then she had a. really really rough year because she was. sneezing every minute and not getting. any sleep. Yeah, I mean it's disruptive. no matter what. No one. I mean, you can't hold down a job if. you're sneezing every minute. Well, luckily she was 12 and this is after. child labor laws were passed. I'm hoping. she didn't have to. >> that cigarette factory. That's right. This She has nimble little.

fingers. She's sorting cigarettes. >> Uh should we take another break? Yeah, I. think so. >> All right, we'll talk about these the. travel and droplets right after this. Great band. Well, now when you're on the road. driving in your truck, why not learn a.

thing or two from Josh and Chuck? It's. stuff you should know. Stuff you should. know. All right. All right. So, this is pretty relevant now. And I know and I think this was put. together before I feel like we've been. sitting on this one. Was this before. coronavirus? Uh no, I think it was. during. >> Was it during? Okay. Yeah, and this is a. A Dave helped us out. Dave Russo helped. us out with this one. Yeah, so and uh. and I think we've all seen these videos. by now um with everything that's going.

on, but in 2016. uh and a researcher from MIT named Lydia. uh Ooh, boy. Goodness me. Borobia? Sure. Boriba? I'm going with Boru- Boruiba. Boruiba. >> Boruiba. It is There's a couple of ooh. sounds in there that follow one another. It makes it very difficult. >> Yeah, whenever you pack three vowels in. a row, it's always sort of a dealer's. choice. So, she uh published some slow-mo 2,000.

frame per second. uh, film images. of people sneezing and what that looked. like. Uh, that's where we get in of. other people have done this too and and. measured the sneeze, but that's one. place where we get the 100 mph stat. Oh, from that study? Yeah, and other places. I mean, it's that's pretty common. knowledge now, but um, up to 25, 30 ft you can blow a sneeze. It can stay suspended in the air for a. few minutes. And they did to if you.

would take a bucket of paint and just. throw the paint out out of the can into. the air. Yeah. Sort of is how a sneeze. works. It's a they call it sheets of. fluids. Yeah. And you know, you got. these big uh, big hunks of mucus and saliva that just. sort of come out together and then break. apart little by little until you get to. the the fine mist that sort of can hang. in the air. Yeah, it starts as a clump. and then turns into ropy filaments and. then into increasingly smaller.

particles. And those really small. particles, the aerosolized stuff. >> That's the scary stuff. I saw a Bristol. study that said, and this wasn't. necessarily coronavirus, but that. contagious germs can stay in the air. suspended in the air for weeks possibly. Um, that would have to be a very hearty. contagious virus or bacteria. Yeah, with. like no air flow. Right. Yeah, to just. sit there. But, um, the the the 27 ft. which is kind of common knowledge these. days in the era of coronavirus that your.

sneeze can can project those particles. up to like 27 ft. There's little pockets of gas and. turbulence that are in a in a room, even. a room that seems still, but certainly. one that has like the AC on or air. flowing through it. And those little. particles can hitch rides on those. pockets and travel um, I saw it 200. times further than you expel them with. just your sneeze. Yeah. >> So, you know what prevents that? Covering yourself, your mouth and your.

nose when you sneeze, and or wearing a. mask. Yeah, I mean they they teach uh. I mean this. has nothing to do with coronavirus, but. this is especially important, but they. teach a little kids from the moment they. can even understand things in preschool. to always sneeze into your elbow and. cough into your elbow because that's. something that kids can you know, you. can't always get to a a tissue, Right. >> which is what they say is sort of the. best thing to do. Yeah. But uh that. elbow is a pretty good uh it's pretty.

good system, I think. It's really cute to see a little kid do. that, too. Yeah, cuz they're doing the. right thing. It's it's uh. it is adorable. I agree. >> Yeah. Um but yeah, the the ideal is to to. sneeze into a tissue, um throw your tissue away, and wash your. hands thoroughly. That's what you're. supposed to do after you sneeze. Every. time. Every single time. Every single. time. And I don't sneeze a lot. Emily. sneezes a lot. Oh, yeah. Yeah, cuz she's. got the allergies. Um oh, yeah. That. might do it. >> she's got a a lifelong persistent tickle.

in her nose. It's terrible. Aw. Does she. have um. what's it called? That kind of sneezing. where it's uh. oh, psychogenic intractable sneezing? Well, no, cuz she's not a she's not 13. Man. No, it's just allergy related, but. lots of sneezing. uh when it's when it's really bad, it's. it's it's pretty tough to be around. Not. to not tough for me, but you know. Right, right. Yeah. It's really. annoying.

Um so, the I I did look up to find out. where we stood as far as knowledge on. sneezing and um contagion outdoors goes. And from what I can tell, there was some. study that was done by some engineers. that sprayed an aerosol can running, walking, and then on a bike. And the. results showed that the stuff spreads. really far and wide, but they didn't. take into account a lot of different. things, a lot of different factors, so. that if you are outdoors, as long as.

somebody doesn't sneeze at you, basically in your face, or in your. direction within, you know, 20 or 30 ft. um directly towards you, you're probably. not going to to catch enough of a. viral load of something like coronavirus. to become sick from it. Um especially if. you're not in a crowded group. If you're. just walking outside and somebody else. is walking, you know, 15 ft ahead of you. and they're just breathing and they're. on the other side of the street, you're. probably going to be fine just because. that stuff's going to dissipate so much.

uh because of all the factors, the. environmental factors that exist. outdoors, rather as opposed to indoors. Indoors is a totally different ballgame. Outdoors, you're much safer. Yeah, I mean, I haven't uh. I haven't been around a human that. sneezed aside from my wife and, you know, four or five months. Right. Like I would even when I've gone to the. store and. like I'm on the lookout for that stuff. Oh, yeah. And um like I think we all. are, but I haven't even been in a store.

like on an aisle where someone's like. sneezed cuz I would. and probably unreasonably, you know, freak out a little bit. Sure, I think you're allowed to yell at. that person. But I haven't even seen anyone been. around anyone that sneezed. Uh Yeah. So, that's been. a comfort. Yeah, you you may went to the. store and came back and said somebody. sneezed twice and the whole store just. started looking around like where that. come from. Oh my god. >> Yeah, it's weird, huh? Yeah. Yeah, it's. basically like a stampede or something. to get away from that thing. It's It is,

it's a weird weird time to be alive. We're all going to be very, very weird. even after things go back to normal, I. think. Yeah. You know? It's going to It's going to. take a while. >> I will be. Yeah. So, should we talk a little bit about uh. culture and, you know, sort of. what people say all around the world. I. know here in America, it's sort of. custom to say God bless you or bless. you. Uh and that, you know, there's some. different explanations, but um one of. them that seems to hold water, I think, dates back to the Middle Ages with the.

Black Plague when Pope Gregory VII. basically said, "Hey everyone, you know, things are. pretty bad. We should just we should say. God bless you. if someone is sneezing because they. might be dying.". Yeah, which is a uh from what I saw, a. big departure from um. earlier Christian teachings, which. taught people to just totally ignore. sneezes. Yeah, or say God is dead. Which. I Right. Which I I find very weird. Like, why would you teach people to. ignore sneezes? I I didn't get that. But.

I found this really awesome article. called Romance and Tragedy of Sneezing. by Dr. Wilson D. Wallace in Scientific. Monthly from 1919. And he cited that that earlier. Christians were like, just ignore it. Just pretend it didn't happen. Yeah, I'm. a I'm a I'm a bless you guy. Um. I don't do the gazoon tight or salute, uh which is Spanish, uh to your health, that kind of thing. Yeah, it's also a. toast. Yeah, I say that I don't I don't say.

that. ever, really. Sometimes I'll say it when. I toast. But it's been I don't know. I don't. remember what I do to with anyone. anymore. You know, it's we I don't I forgot how. to deal with people. I always uh raise. my glass and say, "It's time to get toe. up from the flow up." I say, "May. Jupiter bless you.". Right. I saw another one from the. Greeks, too. I love that one. Um live, Zeus preserve you. I think you and I should bring back both. of those. Okay. That's fantastic. Can't.

you imagine everyone in Greece just like. being like, don't sneeze, don't sneeze. Just everyone's all twitchy and shaky. from people yelling that at them? Yeah, I I mean, it's weird, too, because it's. uh it's a very kind thing to do to a. stranger. It's uh this one. I guess Dave just says an academic but. they called it a micro affection. Mhm. Which is nice, you know, it's just a. little quick. nice thing to say to a stranger if. and I'll always do it. We've we've done. it during our live shows when someone. sneezes. Yeah. It's and not to be funny.

It gets a laugh but it's just sort of a. it's almost like an involuntary micro. affection I think for most you know non. monsters. For sure. Yeah, or people just kind of. have a brief connection right then you. know you know they don't know each. other. But now it's like bless you. You're a human being. What is it now? Well, just. bless you and get please get very far. away from me if you're going to do it. again. Bless you over there. Um so there's also a very common. understanding that people thought that a.

demon was trying to get in or your soul. was trying to get out and I kept seeing. like other cultures or old ancient. cultures that kind of thing. The closest. one I could find that seemed like that. was in Persia. Zoroasters believed that your body was. fighting off a fiend that had invaded. like an invading demon or spirit and. that a sneeze was basically your body. signaling that it had been victorious in. fighting this fiend and getting this. fiend out and that that that deserved a.

prayer and that if you overheard. somebody sneeze you would say the same. prayer with them. I couldn't find what. prayer though. Yeah, it seems to be a. good luck thing in a lot of cultures. throughout the years. According to the Talmud it's a good omen. if you sneeze when you're praying. Mhm. In China and Japan if you sneeze it. means someone's sort of like your ears. are burning someone's talking about you. Yeah. And one sneeze means they're. saying nice things. Two two means. they're spreading gossip. I don't know what they would think about. me with my three.

Yeah, right. Three means you die. Right. What would three mean? I don't know. I. mean cuz there's only two ways people. can talk about you, right? >> Exactly. They might be saying something. like, "Chuck has a beard.". Okay. You know? >> That's as neutral as it gets. Exactly. Um, so there's there's folklore and then. there's what we think as true, which is. a kind of folklore, but it's actually. it's just folklore, too. Urban legends. is what we call them or old wives'.

tales. And we talked about one where. that your your eyes will pop out of your. head if you sneeze with your eyes open. And we debunked that one pretty clearly, I think. Don't you? Can't do it. Um, and. then there's some other ones, too. There. was one that Yumi told me about that I. had no idea until she said this, but. apparently some people believe that you. basically die for a second while you're. sneezing. Like your body just shuts. down, including your heart, and that. you're technically dead for that half. second while the sneeze is going on.

>> I've heard your heart stops. It I had. never heard that before until a couple. days ago. And um, yeah, I looked it up. and it's a thing, but no, it's that's. not at all true. Like your heart rhythm. might actually change and the volume of. blood in your heart might decrease or. increase because of the pressure of the. air in your chest or the release of. pressure, but the electrical activity. remains the same. And that's the key to. whether your heart's, you know, alive or. not. Yeah, yeah, your heart does not. stop. No. That's like playground stuff.

It is. I thought it was very cute. Yeah. What about um, sneezing after sex. preventing pregnancy? Did you see this. one? Well, I mean, what are you sneezing out. of? Right. So, I mean, that like that's the. idea that if you sneeze, you're. expelling. um, well, there's really no other way to. put it, semen, and that that would keep. you from getting pregnant. Wow. Seems a little ridic. Yeah, that's another playground thing.

I guess so. What's good What playground. have you been hanging out on? Pretty. advanced playground activity. Uh you got anything else? Oh, I've got. one more thing, Chuck. You got You got. anything else? >> I got nothing else. In 2016 or 18, a man. in Leicester in the UK ruptured his. throat from trying to stifle a sneeze. The pressure was so great, it broke open. his throat. Wow. Yeah, internally. It. didn't break through the skin, but his. his internal His throat internally was. ruptured. Cuz that's what I pictured.

Like a throat explosion. It just blew. his head completely off like that guy in. Scanners. Well, I I. guess that's it for sneezing, everybody. Hope you enjoyed it. Thanks again to. West for the idea, and since I said. that, it's time for listener mail. I'm going to call this Atlanta, Texas. Uh hey guys, my name's Ben Lee, local. Atlantan, Georgia, and my wife and I are. huge long-time fans. In your recent. episode on pirate radio, y'all briefly. brought up Radio Atlanta, which was. named after Atlanta, Texas.

Uh and you joked that no one knew that. town exists, even the people that live. there. And that's pretty much true. My. family is originally from Atlanta, Texas. It's pretty small, just about. 5,000 residents, so it's totally. understandable. I was born in Texarkana, Texas, Oh. not. too far from there, which is basically. famous for being in the Smokey and the. Bandit movie. I thought that was the. town that dreaded sundown, too, wasn't. it? Mhm, I don't know about that. I. definitely remember from Smokey and the. Bandit. Okay. Cuz they're driving that.

beer from Texarkana to Atlanta. Oh. And. uh Benjamin here says, "I don't know why. they didn't do Atlanta to Atlanta. Wasted opportunity." It really is. It. sounds like Benjamin moved from Atlanta. to Atlanta, though, huh? Maybe. Kind of. I mean, he's in Atlanta. Right. He teaches at Georgia State. That's pretty awesome. Hey, hats off to. you for teaching these days, Benjamin. Yeah, he says there's a lot of towns in. Texas though named that are also Georgia. names. There's an Athens, Texas, a. Douglasville, a Columbus,

uh Dallas, Georgia and Texas. And he. said there's even a Georgia, Texas. Well, that's just confusing. And he. said, "Thanks for all the great stuff.". And that is from Benjamin Bowden Lee. Thanks a lot, Benjamin Bowden Lee. That. was a great email. We appreciate it. Any. email that references Smokey and the. Bandit, we're all right with. Yep. Well, if you want to email us about. Smokey and the Bandit or anything else, we'd love to hear from you. You can send. it to stuffpodcast@iheartradio.com.

Stuff You Should Know is a production of. iHeartRadio's HowStuffWorks. For more. podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the. iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or. wherever you listen to your favorite. shows.