The Amazing World of Sneezes: From Super-Speed Achoos to World Records!
Achoo! What’s That?
Have you ever felt that tickly feeling in your nose right before a big ACHOO comes bursting out? Sneezes are one of the funniest, most surprising things our bodies do! They come out of nowhere, make a loud noise, and sometimes even make us close our eyes. But did you know that sneezes are actually pretty amazing? They’re like tiny superheroes inside your nose, working hard to keep you healthy!
The Girl Who Couldn’t Stop Sneezing
Imagine sneezing once. Now imagine sneezing twice. Now imagine sneezing for THREE WHOLE YEARS without stopping! This really happened to a girl named Donna Griffiths from England! She holds the world record for the longest sneezing fit ever recorded – 978 days of sneezing! That’s almost three birthdays worth of achoos!
During her sneezing marathon, Donna sometimes sneezed up to 20 times in a single minute. That’s like going “ACHOO, ACHOO, ACHOO” almost without taking a breath in between! Just think about how many tissues she must have used – if we stacked them all up, they might reach as high as a skyscraper!
Sneeze Math Challenge!
If Donna sneezed about 20 times per minute during her worst days, how many sneezes might she have had in an hour? That would be 20 × 60 minutes = 1,200 sneezes! That’s more sneezes than most people have in their whole life!
Sneezes Are Speed Demons!
Hold onto your hats! When you sneeze, those tiny water droplets that come shooting out of your nose can travel at speeds up to 160 kilometers per hour! That’s faster than most cars are allowed to drive on the highway! It’s like having a tiny race car inside your nose that zooms into action whenever you feel that tickle.
This super speed is why covering your sneeze is so important. When you sneeze into your elbow (giving your nose a friendly “elbow hug”), you’re stopping those speedy droplets from racing across the room and possibly sharing germs with your friends.
Sneeze Droplet Facts
A single sneeze can send up to 100,000 tiny droplets flying into the air! That’s like a miniature rainstorm coming out of your nose! These droplets are so small you can’t see most of them, but they’re definitely there!
Why Do We Sneeze Anyway?
Your nose is like a super cool security guard for your body. When something that doesn’t belong gets inside – like dust, pepper, or tiny floating particles – your nose says “NOPE! You’re not welcome here!” and tries to blast it out with a powerful sneeze!
It’s like having tiny bouncers in your nose shouting, “You’re not on the guest list, Mr. Dust! OUT YOU GO!” ACHOO! And everything gets launched out at race car speed!
This is why some people sneeze a lot during spring when there’s pollen in the air – their nose bouncers are working overtime to keep their breathing passages clean and clear!
Sneeze Mysteries: Why Do Our Eyes Close?
Have you ever noticed that your eyes automatically close when you sneeze? Try keeping them open next time – it’s almost impossible! Scientists still aren’t completely sure why this happens, but they have some interesting ideas.
One theory is that your body is saying, “Whoa there! So much power coming through! Eyes, protect yourselves!” It’s like when you see a big splash of water coming at your face and you automatically blink.
Another idea is that maybe our brains can’t handle both the big sneeze command AND keeping our eyes open at the same time. It’s like when you try to pat your head and rub your tummy at the same time – it’s just too tricky to do both!
A Silly Question to Think About
If Donna sneezed for almost three years straight, do you think she had to sneeze while sleeping too? The records show that her sneezing actually did slow down when she was sleeping, but didn’t completely stop. Imagine having sneeze dreams!
Animal Sneezes: Who Goes Achoo in the Zoo?
Animals sneeze too! But they all do it in their own special way:
- Dogs often look super surprised after they sneeze, like they’re thinking “What in the dog biscuits just happened?!”
- Cats usually have small, cute sneezes that sometimes make their whole body jump a little.
- Elephants have enormous sneezes that can make a huge noise!
- Baby pandas have the cutest sneezes ever – they sometimes scare themselves so much they fall over!
Even fish have their own version of sneezing! When something irritates their gills, they force water through them extra quickly to clear them out. It’s like they go “BUBBLE-CHOO” instead of “ACHOO”!
The Sunshine Sneeze: Light Makes Some People Achoo!
Did you know that looking at bright light can make some people sneeze? It’s called the Photic Sneeze Reflex, but you can call it the “Sunshine Sneeze.” About 1 in 4 people have it!
If you sometimes sneeze when you walk outside on a bright sunny day, congratulations! You have a special sneeze superpower! You’re like ACHOO-MAN or ACHOO-GIRL – able to sneeze at a single ray of light!
Scientists aren’t completely sure why this happens either, but they think it might be because the nerves in your eyes and the nerves in your nose get their signals crossed. It’s like when you accidentally dial your friend’s number when you meant to call your grandma!
Sneeze Styles: Loud and Proud or Quiet and Shy?
Have you noticed that everyone sneezes differently? Some people have quiet little sneezes like “chew!” while others have super loud sneezes like “KA-BOOOOM-CHOOEY!”
Some of this is natural – bodies are just different! But we also learn how to sneeze from the people around us. If your mom or dad has a big booming sneeze, you might copy it without even realizing!
It’s like how some people might laugh like their grandma or talk with their hands like their uncle. We pick up all sorts of behaviors from the people we spend time with!
What’s Your Sneeze Style?
Next time you sneeze, pay attention to how it sounds. Do you have a mouse sneeze (small and squeaky) or a lion sneeze (big and roary)? There’s no right or wrong way to sneeze – each style is special!
Sneeze Snowflakes: Every Achoo is Unique!
Guess what? All of your sneezes look different! If we could take super slow-motion videos of each sneeze, they’d all have unique shapes and droplet patterns – just like snowflakes!
That means that no two sneezes in the history of the world have ever been exactly the same. Even Donna with her thousands and thousands of sneezes produced unique masterpieces each time!
That’s pretty amazing when you think about it – your body is creating one-of-a-kind sneeze art every time you go ACHOO!
Funny Sneeze Moments: When Achoos Attack!
Sneezes have a funny way of showing up at the most unexpected times! Have you ever had a silly sneeze moment?
- Sneezing while drinking milk (and having it come out your nose!)
- Sneezing right when you’re trying to blow out birthday candles
- Sneezing during a quiet moment in class when everyone can hear you
- Sneezing so hard that your whole body jumps a little bit
These sneeze surprises might be embarrassing at the time, but they often make the funniest stories later!
Your Amazing Nose: More Than Just Sneezes
Your nose doesn’t just create spectacular sneezes – it’s also super smart in other ways! Did you know your nose can remember thousands of different smells throughout your whole life? It’s like having a smell library inside your head!
That’s why certain smells can bring back strong memories, like how the smell of cookies might remind you of baking with grandma, or how the smell of sunscreen might make you think of summer vacations.
So your nose is both a powerful sneeze blaster AND a memory keeper. Talk about a talented body part!
Sneeze Science Experiments to Try
Want to learn more about sneezes? Here are some fun things to try (with a grown-up’s help):
- Sneeze Speed Test: Hold a small piece of tissue paper in front of you (but not too close!) and have someone take a video of you sneezing. Watch in slow motion to see how fast your sneeze moves the paper!
- Animal Sneeze Videos: Look up videos of different animals sneezing online. Which animal has the funniest sneeze?
- Sunshine Sneeze Check: If it’s safe to do so, look toward (but never directly at!) the sun or a bright light when you feel a sneeze coming on. Does it make your sneeze happen faster?
Keep Your Sneezes to Yourself!
Remember, even though sneezes are amazing, they can also spread germs if we’re not careful. Here’s how to be a responsible sneezer:
- Always cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze – your elbow is perfect for this!
- Wash your hands after sneezing, especially if you used your hands to cover up
- Use a tissue when you can, and throw it away after using it
- Try not to sneeze directly at other people (even though it might be tempting if your little brother is being annoying!)
The Big Question: What Makes YOU Sneeze?
Everyone has different sneeze triggers. Some people sneeze when they:
- Smell strong perfume or cleaning products
- Walk into bright sunlight
- Eat spicy foods
- Pluck their eyebrows (strange but true!)
- Get a sudden chill or cold breeze
What makes your nose decide it’s time for a big ACHOO? Keep track for a week and see if you can figure out your own personal sneeze triggers!
Keep On Wondering!
The next time you feel that tickle in your nose and a big ACHOO bursts out, remember what an amazing, powerful, and unique thing your body is doing! Your sneeze is a tiny marvel of nature – shooting out at race car speeds, creating a unique pattern of droplets, and helping to keep your body healthy.
And if you ever break any sneeze records yourself, be sure to let the Guinness World Records know! Maybe someday you’ll be famous for your spectacular sneezes!
Until then, keep those curious minds wondering about all the amazing things your body can do – even the ones that go ACHOO!
