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 […]
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 in China breathe clean air without shelling out thousands of dollars for expensive purifiers.
How long does the Sqair’s HEPA filter last?
After launching the world’s most cost-effective purifier (the Sqair), we started testing the HEPA lifespan. I’ve long been skeptical of the lifespan numbers purifier companies give because (1) they provide no empirical justification for the number and (2) they give the same numbers in Switzerland or Delhi. Yet clearly the HEPA would last less time […]
How Long Do Pollution Masks Last? | New Data
Scientific tests have found that simple pollution masks are incredibly effective, but how long do masks last? Most tests are done with brand new masks, so there’s very little data on used ones. And in that data vacuum, people have wildly different ideas about how masks remain effective. I’ve seen several people say they only […]
Why a weaker filter actually makes a stronger purifier
Why does Smart Air’s latest air purifier, The Sqair, use a weaker filter–an H11 HEPA compared to the H12 and H13 HEPA filters out there? Tests of different filter grades revealed that weaker filters sometimes make stronger purifiers. Of course, purifier companies like to market their filters as top grade. Lots of purifiers […]
Why The Sqair will transform the market for clean air
In 2013, I made a DIY purifier to get through an apocalyptic Beijing winter. The DIY wasn’t pretty, but it worked. Hundreds of days of tests showed it cut tiny 0.5 micron particles in my bedroom by an average of 84% (1, 2, 3). The DIY proved that air purifiers don’t have to […]
How effective are kid’s masks at filtering air pollution?
As cities like Delhi, Beijing and Manila face toxic levels of air pollution, people are rushing to find effective pollution masks, particularly kid’s masks. But there’s a problem. Children’s faces are different from adults’. Add to that, children are constantly growing, meaning that the mask that fit last year might not fit this year. Kid’s […]
Three Reasons we were able to make a better air purifier
If you’ve heard about The Sqair, you should be suspicious. The Sqair puts out more clean air for less money AND it’s quieter AND more energy efficient? Either I’m lying, or there’s some logical reason how this is possible. There are three. 1. It helps my life become a little dumber I’ve got enough apps […]
One less app in my life with The Sqair
I have a radical idea: adding one more app on my phone won’t make me happier. It feels like the world is rushing to app-ify everything these days. GPS and texting made my life a lot easier, but there’s a limit. The moment I saw this coffee mug, I knew we reached the limit. This […]
How many trees need to be planted to help to solve China’s air pollution?
Planting trees to solve China’s air pollution would be a very ineffective way. Let me break down the effect of trees into (1) sucking up particulate and (2) giving particles a place to land. 1. How Much Particulate Air Pollution Do Trees Suck Up? Let’s talk about the most commonly talked about pollutant: particulate pollution […]
Can you clean a car air filter with compressed air?
Working on DIY air purifiers for over 6 years, I’ve heard from a lot of people who have strong intuitions about cleaning car air filter. People tell me they wash their vehicle’s air filter, vacuum it, or bang it really hard. Opinions are plenty, but what about real, hard data? Can You Clean Air Filters […]
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