Dear Mr. Scientist,
What is it about being out in the cold that causes my nose to run?
—Tom J.
There are a couple of things going on that turn your nose into an open tap. First of all, your nose has the job of warming and humidifying the air you inhale so it doesn’t irritate your lungs. Your nose has to work extra hard to humidify the dry winter air so it increases fluid production. If too much fluid is produced, it will begin to run from your nose. The other factor that comes into play is that the air you exhale is warmer and moister than the surrounding air. As you breathe out, this wet, warm air condenses on the tip of your cold nose, and the collecting moisture drips out. When these two conditions team up, you become cursed with a nose that runs like a faucet.
Dear Mr. Scientist,
What is it about winter that makes it cold/flu season? Does the cold weather have some sort of effect on our bodies?
—Lisa U.
Researchers aren’t quite sure why, but there is a definite increase in cold and flu outbreaks in January and February. The most common explanation is that during the winter, people spend more time inside and are therefore more likely to come into contact with an infected person. In addition, new research has shown that viruses (like the ones responsible for causing colds and flus) create a protective fatty coating that solidifies in cold temperatures. With this coating, the virus is able to survive for a while on its own and can contaminate the surfaces that people touch. In the heat of the summer, though, this coating isn’t able to solidify, so the virus has no protection and dies rather quickly, which may be why colds and flus aren’t as common in the summer.
Ask Mr. Scientist is written by Michael Leitch. If you have a burning science question you want him to answer, tweet @DC_Science or email it to science@dailycardinal.com.
