Why Can You Still Smell Farts Through a Mask? A Real Question, Answered

This week, an unidentified woman earned the nickname "Panera Karen" after she was caught on camera throwing a hissy fit over the sandwich chain's mask mandate. In the clip, the woman claims masks won't stop the spread of coronavirus the same way wearing pants doesn't contain the stench of farts. Now the blog Lifehacker is here to fact-check Panera Karen, and--surprise!--the site says, "She's wrong." You see, farts smell because of sulfur-containing molecules such as methanthiol, which typically measure about 0.4 nanometers. By comparison, the coronavirus has been measured at 60 to 140 nanometers--up to 34,900 percent bigger than a fart molecule, which explains why farts pass through your pants, but COVID-19 is thwarted by masks. Also, keep in mind that the coronavirus doesn't travel on its own, but as part of respiratory droplets, which are even bigger than the virus itself.

Take that, Panera Karen! IN YO (UNMASKED) FACE!


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