Have you ever wondered if wearing a mask really helps stop the spread of germs? With so many images and claims online, it can be hard to know what to believe. In this article, we’ll explore an experiment that tests how effective masks are at preventing the spread of germs, using a fun and simple science experiment you can understand.
We decided to recreate an experiment originally done by Dr. Rich Davis, a microbiology lab director, to see if masks truly make a difference. The idea is to use Petri dishes to grow bacteria from droplets that come out of our mouths when we cough, sneeze, talk, or sing. By comparing the results with and without masks, we can see how well masks work.
Some might wonder why we’re looking at bacteria when COVID-19 is caused by a virus. The reason is that both bacteria and viruses can travel in respiratory droplets. While we can’t see viruses on Petri dishes, we can see bacteria, which helps us understand how droplets spread.
We used special plates called LB plates that help bacteria grow. We carefully sterilized everything and wore gloves to make sure we only saw bacteria from our mouths. We then coughed, sneezed, talked, and sang over the plates, both with and without masks, to collect samples.
After collecting the samples, we kept the plates in a warm room to let the bacteria grow. Since we don’t have a lab incubator, we also had friends at the University of Toronto do the experiment under ideal conditions to compare results.
After a week, we checked the results. Here’s what we discovered:
The results clearly show that masks significantly reduce the spread of droplets, which can carry germs. Wearing a mask is an important way to protect others, but it’s not the only solution. We should also wash our hands, maintain physical distance, and stay isolated if exposed to the virus.
If you’re interested in learning more about science or other topics, consider exploring Skillshare. It’s an online learning community with thousands of classes on subjects like music, film, and creative writing. You can try it out with a free trial and discover new skills and hobbies.
Thanks for reading, and remember to stay curious and keep learning!
Gather materials such as Petri dishes, LB agar, and masks. Follow the steps outlined in the article to conduct your own experiment. Observe the bacterial growth with and without masks. Record your findings and compare them to the results discussed in the article.
Design a poster that visually represents the results of the mask experiment. Use images, graphs, and key data points to illustrate how masks reduce the spread of germs. Share your poster with classmates to raise awareness about the importance of wearing masks.
Work in groups to create a news segment reporting on the findings of the mask experiment. Assign roles such as reporter, scientist, and eyewitness. Present your segment to the class, highlighting the significance of the experiment and its implications for public health.
Participate in a classroom debate on the topic of mask mandates in public spaces. Use evidence from the experiment and other scientific sources to support your arguments. Discuss the pros and cons of mask-wearing and its impact on society.
Research how respiratory droplets carry bacteria and viruses. Create a presentation or infographic explaining the science behind droplet transmission and how masks help prevent it. Share your findings with the class to deepen everyone’s understanding of the topic.
**Sanitized Transcript:**
– This episode is sponsored by Skillshare. I saw some images circulating online that showed bacterial cultures growing in Petri dishes, claiming to represent the effectiveness of masks in stopping or minimizing the spread of germs. This was in relation to COVID-19 and whether or not we should all be wearing masks. So today, we’re going to recreate this experiment and document it to see how accurate it was and whether our mask results come out the same.
– We traced the images back to a Twitter user, Dr. Rich Davis, who is a director of a microbiology lab, so his results seem legitimate. However, we want to reproduce his demonstration on our own for a few reasons. One, it’s an excuse to do some fun at-home science, and maybe we’ll have some new “friends” in quarantine, aka these bacterial cultures. Two, we want to see if our results will be consistent. Three, we really want to test homemade masks because the ones in the pictures look like surgical masks, but many people made their own at home, like these ones my mom made that are super cool. She just basically put two layers of cotton fabric together and added some elastics. Mom, you did an amazing job!
– Now, just before we start, I know some of you might be saying, “But Mitch, coronavirus is a virus, not a bacteria.” And that’s totally true, so let us explain why this experiment is still relevant. Right now, scientists believe that the main mechanism of transmission for the SARS-CoV-2 virus is through respiratory droplets. The virus doesn’t just float around; it relies on moisture from an infected person. Given that bacteria from the mouth, nose, and throat travel in the same way, while these dishes won’t show us how much SARS-CoV-2 virus is on them, they will show us the relative amount of droplets. These droplets, by proxy, tell us how germs spread, whether we’re wearing a mask or not.
– As an added bonus, I got some friends who work in a lab at the University of Toronto, who are also going to recreate this experiment with us at the same time, but under even more ideal conditions for the bacteria to grow. Ultimately, all this is to test and figure out how well masks work.
– Okay, so we are here with our agar plates. I’ve got gloves on; these have been sterilized. We actually got them from our friend Amanda, who works in a lab and was able to prep these properly. We’ve sterilized this countertop and are trying to be super careful because we only want to see what’s actually coming out of my mouth.
– These are called LB plates. Basically, it means that the agar in them is going to help the bacteria thrive. There are other kinds that help fungus thrive, but in this case, we want to see the bacteria come up because that’s mostly what’s going to come out of my mouth.
– Once we had all the plates ready to go, we began the experiment. We held each plate about 1.5 feet away from my face and coughed twice on one, sneezed twice on another, talked for one minute to one, and sang for one minute to another. Finally, we repeated all these activities with a mask on.
– Now that we have all our samples done, we’re going to keep them in this room, which is the warmest in our house. All the bacteria will eat up all that agar goodness and grow, and then we’ll come back and check on them soon.
– One week later. Now, because we don’t have an incubator at home, our samples will grow pretty slowly. So, I enlisted the help of some friends who work at the Molecular Genetics Department at the University of Toronto, who are going to duplicate this experiment under even more ideal conditions. Of course, because of COVID-19, we weren’t allowed to go in the lab, so they’re going to walk me through the important differences right now.
– At the lab, they used Brucella Blood Agar plates. Brucella is a type of media supplemented with sheep’s blood, heme, and vitamin K, which are additional nutrients that many organisms in the microbiota need to grow. This won’t necessarily change the result; it will just help amplify any of the bacteria that are actually coming out of me.
– Also, in the lab, they are using an incubator. An incubator is useful because they typically grow bacteria at 37 degrees Celsius, which is the temperature of the human body. Any microbe that grows inside the body grows best at this temperature.
– What do we actually expect to grow on these plates, and is any of it dangerous? In general, what you’re going to see is just the normal everyday bacteria and fungi that we have within us. We need them; they provide us with nutrients, help us digest food, and protect us against harmful bacteria and fungi. Most of them are really helpful and friendly.
– One other big thing to remember is that we actually can’t see viruses growing on plates in a lab or at home because viruses are so small. While this experiment gives a snapshot of what could be in your droplets, it won’t include any viruses or types of bacteria or fungi that can’t grow in the conditions we provided.
– This is the most important question: what will you be singing to your Petri dishes? I thought long and hard about this, and I’ve decided to go with the classic karaoke song, “Uptown Girl.”
– Three days later. Alright, so we are ready to look at our results. Our plates have been growing for over a week, maybe almost two now, while the laboratory plates have only been growing for two days.
– Starting with coughing, the Petri dish for coughing shows no colonies on the mask dish and one large colony on the no-mask dish. The lab results show no bacterial cultures when coughing with a mask, and one culture when coughing without a mask.
– For sneezing, the masked sneeze showed nothing on the Petri dish, but the unmasked sneeze is absolutely covered with probably around 50 little colonies growing. The lab results also showed no cultures when sneezing with a mask, but many without.
– For talking, the results show several colonies growing without a mask, while there are none with a mask. This is striking because talking is something we all do. The lab results confirm the same.
– For singing, we see nothing on the masked version and several colonies on the no-mask version. This makes sense when considering how choirs have been spreading COVID.
– Finally, the plates help us understand how much is coming out of us and the effectiveness of masks in stopping those droplets. It’s important to note that wearing a mask is altruistic; it’s about protecting others around you.
– Masks are potentially part of the solution, but they’re not the whole solution. We should also be washing our hands, physically distancing, and isolating if exposed. We hope that vaccines and treatments come together for a holistic approach to stopping the spread of this virus.
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– We’ll see you later, bye!
Mask – A covering for the face that helps prevent the spread of germs by blocking droplets from the mouth and nose. – During the biology lab, students wore masks to prevent the spread of germs while handling samples.
Bacteria – Microscopic single-celled organisms that can be found in various environments, some of which can cause disease. – In science class, we learned that bacteria can multiply rapidly under the right conditions.
Droplets – Small drops of liquid that can carry germs and are often released when a person coughs or sneezes. – The teacher explained how droplets from a sneeze can spread germs to others in the room.
Experiment – A scientific procedure undertaken to test a hypothesis or demonstrate a known fact. – Our biology experiment involved observing the growth of bacteria in different temperatures.
Growth – The process by which organisms increase in size or number. – The growth of mold on bread was used as an example of how fungi reproduce.
Germs – Microorganisms, especially those that can cause disease. – Washing hands regularly helps to remove germs and prevent illness.
Coughing – The act of expelling air from the lungs suddenly and noisily, often to clear the throat or respiratory tract. – The biology teacher explained how coughing can spread germs through the air.
Sneezing – A sudden, forceful expulsion of air from the nose and mouth, often caused by irritation of the nasal passages. – Sneezing into a tissue helps to prevent the spread of germs in the classroom.
Talking – The act of communicating with others using spoken words, which can also release droplets into the air. – The science teacher reminded us that talking loudly can spread droplets more easily.
Singing – The act of producing musical sounds with the voice, which can project droplets over a distance. – In choir practice, students were spaced apart to reduce the spread of droplets while singing.
