⚠️This fact has been debunked
The 100+ mph claim is a widely circulated myth that has been debunked by multiple scientific studies. Modern measurements using high-speed cameras and particle image velocimetry show sneeze velocities ranging from 10-40 mph, not 100+ mph. The myth likely originated from mid-20th century researcher William Firth Wells who inferred speed indirectly rather than measuring it directly. MythBusters tested this and found sneezes at 35-39 mph, while 2013 scientific studies using high-speed cameras measured approximately 10 mph average velocity.
A sneeze travels out your mouth at over 100 m.p.h.!
Do Sneezes Really Travel at 100 MPH? The Truth Revealed
You've probably heard it before: sneezes explode out of your mouth at over 100 miles per hour, faster than most cars on the highway. It's the kind of fact that gets repeated at dinner tables and shared on social media. There's just one problem—it's not true.
Modern scientific measurements tell a very different story. Using high-speed cameras and advanced particle image velocimetry, researchers have clocked sneezes at much more modest speeds. A 2013 study found the average sneeze velocity to be around 10 mph, roughly the same as a cough. That's more "leisurely bike ride" than "highway speed."
Where Did the 100 MPH Myth Come From?
The culprit appears to be mid-20th century researcher William Firth Wells. Rather than directly measuring sneeze speed, Wells analyzed the size of airborne droplets and worked backwards to infer how fast air would need to travel to create them. His calculation was never verified in a lab, but the impressive-sounding number took on a life of its own.
Once the "100 mph" figure entered popular consciousness, it spread like wildfire. Science textbooks, health articles, and trivia books all repeated it without question. The problem? Nobody had actually measured a real sneeze moving that fast.
What Does Science Actually Show?
When MythBusters put the claim to the test, they found sneezes traveling at 35-39 mph—impressive, but nowhere near triple digits. Modern scientific studies using precise measurement techniques have found even lower speeds:
- Recent particle image velocimetry studies measured maximum airflow at about 36 mph
- High-speed camera studies found average velocities around 10 mph
- Individual variation exists, but even powerful sneezes don't break 40 mph
Why the huge discrepancy? It comes down to what you're measuring. Early estimates confused the initial air velocity with droplet speed, or relied on indirect calculations rather than direct observation. When you actually film sneezes and track the particles, the numbers drop dramatically.
Still Pretty Impressive, Though
Just because sneezes don't hit highway speeds doesn't mean they're not remarkable. A sneeze can expel up to 40,000 droplets in a fine mist that spreads across a room. The sneeze reflex generates enough force to clear irritants from your nasal passages in less than half a second.
Recent studies show sneeze airflow lasts approximately 430 milliseconds and reaches peak velocity in the first 20 milliseconds. That rapid acceleration is what makes sneezes such effective—and potentially problematic—spreaders of respiratory droplets.
So the next time someone tells you sneezes travel at 100 mph, you can set the record straight. The truth is more like 10-40 mph, depending on the person and the measurement method. It's a perfect example of how impressive-sounding "facts" can persist for decades without scientific backing. Sometimes the real story is less flashy than the myth—but at least it's actually true.