Several people have asked me if they can use a purifier in the living room to clean their entire apartment. The benefit is that it’s easier to use just one purifier. Plus, noise isn’t an issue if the purifier is in the other room. But does it actually clean the air in the entire apartment? […]
Author: Thomas Talhelm
Thomas is an Associate Professor of Behavior Science at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and the founder of Smart Air, a social enterprise to help people across the world breathe clean air without shelling out thousands of dollars for expensive purifiers.
What Are Ionizer Air Purifiers and Do They Work?
The other day, someone on Quora asked whether ionizer air purifiers actually purify the air. This is an important question because ionizers are all over the place. For example, I was at a friend’s apartment in the US, and I saw his tower fan had an ionizer button on it: It’s also important […]
Do N95 Mask Deprive Us of Oxygen
Scientists have actually made people wear N95 masks and measured their blood oxygen. So we have a solid answer to this question, and it’s not what this question assumes. This question itself doesn’t ask IF wearing masks decreases oxygen, but HOW MUCH. It assumes there’s an effect. Elsewhere on Quora, someone asked if wearing a […]
What’s the Difference Between N95 and P2 Masks?
The difference between N95 and P2 masks is so small that most users will not notice anything amiss. The P2 rating is the standard in Australia and New Zealand similar to the US N95 mask rating. Difference Between N95 and P2 Masks: Charted Out N95 and P2 masks look almost identical, and they filter […]
What’s the Difference Between N95 and KF94 Masks?
The difference between N95 and KF94 masks are minor for the factors that most users care about. KF94 is the “Korea filter” standard similar to the US N95 mask rating. Difference Between N95 and KF94 Masks: Charted Out They look similar, and they filter a nearly identical percentage of particles—95% versus 94%. This chart from […]
What Are N95 Masks Made From?
N95 masks made from synthetic plastic fibers are most common. These plastic fibers are similar to the fibers in synthetic and polyester shirts many people wear. N95 Masks Made From Synthetic Plastic For example, let’s take the 3M 9332 masks that I wear in Beijing. Technically this is an N99 (FFP3) mask, but the idea is […]
Sanitizing Masks With Alcohol Degrades Performance
With mask shortages during the coronavirus outbreak, some doctors are sanitizing masks with alcohol so they can re-use them. But this raises questions about whether alcohol actually works and whether it degrades the masks. Does Alcohol Kill Viruses? The research on alcohol is clear. Alcohol kills viruses. Technically, viruses aren’t alive, so scientists focus on […]
What’s the Difference Between N95 and KN95 Masks?
With such similar sounding names, it can be confusing to understand the difference between N95 and KN95 masks. What are KN95 masks, and are they the same as N95 masks? This handy chart explains the differences between N95 and KN95 masks (and all characteristics that are the same). N95 vs. KN95 Comparison Chart Source: 3M – […]
Can UV Light Disinfect Face Masks?
While masks are in short supply during the coronavirus pandemic, the shortage is prompting people to ask if UV light disinfects masks. This is a critical question for frontline healthcare workers, as they scramble for ways to safely re-use masks. Here’s the problem. We know that UV-C light kills bacteria and viruses, but we […]
N95 Masks vs. Surgical Masks: Which Is Better at Preventing the Coronavirus?
Scientists have actually randomized people to wear N95 or regular surgical masks, then tracked how many people got infected with colds and flus similar to the coronavirus. This data can tell us whether N95 or surgical masks are more effective at preventing transmission of viruses. The results surprised me. Coronavirus & Mask Livestream Wondering whether […]
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