Researchers identify features that could make someone a virus super-spreader:
In a study appearing this month in the journal Physics of Fluids, researchers in UCF's Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering used computer-generated models to numerically simulate sneezes in different types of people and determine associations between people's physiological features and how far their sneeze droplets travel and linger in the air.
They found that people's features, like a stopped-up nose or a full set of teeth, could increase their potential to spread viruses by affecting how far droplets travel when they sneeze.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the main way people are infected by the virus that causes COVID-19 is through exposure to respiratory droplets, such as from sneezes and coughs that are carrying infectious virus.
Knowing more about factors affecting how far these droplets travel can inform efforts to control their spread, says Michael Kinzel, an assistant professor with UCF's Department of Mechanical Engineering and study co-author.
"This is the first study that aims to understand the underlying 'why' of how far sneezes travel," Kinzel says. "We show that the human body has influencers, such as a complex duct system associated with the nasal flow that actually disrupts the jet from your mouth and prevents it from dispersing droplets far distances."
Journal Reference:
D. Fontes, J. Reyes, K. Ahmed, et al. A study of fluid dynamics and human physiology factors driving droplet dispersion from a human sneeze, Physics of Fluids (DOI: 10.1063/5.0032006)
Also at University of Central Florida News | UCF Today
(Score: 3, Funny) by c0lo on Tuesday November 24 2020, @11:30AM
Rip them another blow hole and de-fang them, that will lower the number of particulate they sneeze out.
However, I have this hunch making them sneezing in their elbow and/or wear a mask is a much cheaper and a more efficient solution, maybe someone should look into it?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday November 24 2020, @01:16PM (6 children)
Was driving early morning the other day with my SO, she was silhouetted by the low sun -- from my point of view her head and/or the top of the car window blocked the sun. When she spoke, there was an easily visible spray of droplets out her mouth. While I suspect that there are many smaller (invisible) droplets too, these were really easy to see with that back/top lighting condition. Still air inside the car might have helped too.
Wisely, I didn't say anything, just observed the fluid dynamics going on next to me!
(Score: 3, Interesting) by legont on Tuesday November 24 2020, @01:26PM (5 children)
Well, English has quite a few sounds where the tongue got to be sticked out by various degrees. Full lips don't help either especially when they are open which is another feature of English language.
Slavic languages, on the other hand, are spoken with mouth mostly closed. Perhaps it is the secret of low infection rates out there?
"Wealth is the relentless enemy of understanding" - John Kenneth Galbraith.
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Tuesday November 24 2020, @03:51PM
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Tuesday November 24 2020, @04:15PM (3 children)
Yea... naaah, mate, interesting hypothesis but it can't be.
In support for my rebuttal, here's the deal: if, after having a bottle of Stolichnaya (just to fill the inner space and drive out the songs at high volume), you manage to sing "Óči čjórnye" [youtube.com] from the top of your lungs without soaking everyone around, then... mmmm, ok, yes... I'll buy you another bottle and ask you to sing Kalinka [youtube.com] with your mouth mostly closed.
(point: lotsa sibilants - s, sh, tch, and the like - in slavic languages)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 3, Touché) by legont on Tuesday November 24 2020, @05:14PM (2 children)
We are not talking about drunk competition here but the rules of a polite society. English teachers in say Russia are specifically working on breaking cultural taboos such as pushed out between teeth tongue while pronouncing th and wide opening of the mouth with expressive out lips movement. And I did not even start on biting ones lower lip and then releasing the sound and a spray of saliva.
"Very thick steak please" would be enough to transmit the viral load within 12 feet.
"Wealth is the relentless enemy of understanding" - John Kenneth Galbraith.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Tuesday November 24 2020, @10:57PM (1 child)
The Russian sibilants are there to stay, in high amount, even in polite society - I dare you try to do Russian without 'sh' and 'tch'.
While not releasing the same amount or at the same distance of particulates as the plosives, the often use of those fricatives (involving a narrow channel and high speed of air required to create their high frequencies/pitch) will do the same.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 2) by legont on Thursday November 26 2020, @02:08AM
True, but they are supposed to be used with mouth mostly closed. It's an important lesson kids are getting in Russia - keep your mouth mostly closed when eating and talking. I really suspect disease spread is the underlying cause.
"Wealth is the relentless enemy of understanding" - John Kenneth Galbraith.
(Score: 2) by legont on Tuesday November 24 2020, @01:18PM (1 child)
What exactly is "stopped-up nose feature"? Yes, it is a language question or so I hope.
Specifically, can it be fixed with the same teeth remover tool?
"Wealth is the relentless enemy of understanding" - John Kenneth Galbraith.
(Score: 2) by krishnoid on Tuesday November 24 2020, @05:50PM
All that's important is that the human body has influencers, and as always, it's the influencers who are to blame. So stop them from posting to YouTube for 14 days, and we should be set.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by DannyB on Tuesday November 24 2020, @03:26PM (8 children)
Detect them before they sneeze on you.
Signs to look out for:
* not wearing a mask
* wearing MAGA hat
* won't keep distance
* in your face and rude
* Vehicle plastered with Trump signs, even though he is now lame duck
* Vehicle is an F-149 truck with various self-repairs showing
* rifle holder on truck has automatic 60 cal -- for sportsmanship and home defense
To transfer files: right-click on file, pick Copy. Unplug mouse, plug mouse into other computer. Right-click, paste.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday November 24 2020, @05:32PM
This explains why covid hasnt affected the homeless population much.
(Score: 5, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday November 24 2020, @05:49PM (2 children)
Wow, look at these county by county maps.
https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view [cdc.gov]
https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/graphics/2020/11/10/election-maps-2020-america-county-results-more-voters/6226197002/ [usatoday.com]
There is near exact correlation between % votes for Trump and number of covid cases.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday November 24 2020, @08:01PM (1 child)
> near exact correlation between % votes for Trump and number of covid cases.
Don't tell this to the 2024 Trump-rebooted campaign!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday November 25 2020, @05:51AM
If you click the links its a near perfect negative correlation.
Are the mods here all bots?
(Score: 2) by krishnoid on Tuesday November 24 2020, @05:57PM
Sorry to keep bringing this up, but I really hope this mechanism [mit.edu] goes into wider availability soon. Then you just mount a shotgun mike on your home, and before someone enters your property, aim it at their mouth and ask them to cough. If they show up as symptomatic and still insist on entering, you can then aim the shotgun mount itself.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday November 24 2020, @08:15PM (2 children)
Hate much?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday November 24 2020, @08:55PM
Loud, whiny victim much?
(Score: 2) by Azuma Hazuki on Tuesday November 24 2020, @10:37PM
So facts are hateful now? Look at those maps a couple of posts below. DannyB is not wrong, and pointing out that stupid people do stupid things is not hate.
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday November 24 2020, @06:39PM
Any intelligent human that knows the COVID-19 pandemic is fake. Hey Governor Inslee, go fuck yourself, you fuckin' dickhead.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Tuesday November 24 2020, @07:38PM
A stuffy nose is a condition. Full or thin lips could be deemed a feature. When the title mentioned "features" I presumed that physical attributes were to me compared, with covid in mind. Maybe longer or shorter noses contribute to the spread of the disease? Hey, you can spot long and short noses from across the street! Congestion, though? Not so much - unless the subject of your attention is actively sneezing.
sarc Maybe I'll just fall back to good old reliable phrenology to identify likely covid spreaders. /sarc
(Score: 3, Informative) by digitalaudiorock on Tuesday November 24 2020, @08:40PM
MAGA hat?