Being stuck at home during the coronavirus pandemic isn’t stopping Bill Nye from producing some great Science Guy videos. He’s taken to using household items to explain scientific principles in his usual straightforward fashion, from using a water bottle to make pizza dough (not strictly necessary but fun nonetheless) to demonstrating the effectiveness of N95 masks with a lit candle.
In his latest viral video, Nye uses a colander and pegboard to debunk some anti-mask myths.
“There’s a perception that a virus can travel through the fibers of a mask, like this red dot,” Nye says as he pokes a red-tipped stick through a hole in a colander. “But viruses don’t travel by themselves,” he says, setting aside the colander and holding up a ball with red dots. “No, they travel in droplets of spit and snot.”
“The [mask’s] fibers are a tangle,” he says as he pulls a pegboard into view. “So when a droplet gets into the fibers of a mask, it gets trapped.” Nye drops a few balls into the pegs on the board, where they get stuck.
In Nye’s usual Science Guy style, the video is peppered with sound effects and even an explosive car crash (you’ll see). He concludes with a plea: “So everyone please, wear a mask!”
@billnyeI don’t know who needs to hear this but… ##masks work. Wear one. Carry on… ##tiktokpartner ##learnontiktok⬠original sound – Bill Nye
Why do I get the feeling I’ll think of Bill Nye next time I use a colander?
Nye’s latest video has drawn more than 4 million likes from viewers and 15.4 million views (at the time of publication). It comes at a time when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reminding people that even with a vaccine on the horizon, they’ll continue to recommend wearing face masks throughout the pandemic.
“Stopping a pandemic requires using all the tools available,” the CDC says on its vaccination FAQ. “Vaccines work with your immune system so your body will be ready to fight the virus if you are exposed. Other steps, like covering your mouth and nose with a mask and staying at least 6 feet away from others, help reduce your chance of being exposed to the virus or spreading it to others. Together, COVID-19 vaccination and following CDC’s recommendations to protect yourself and others will offer the best protection from COVID-19.”
That’s good to know!
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Checkout Simplemost for additional stories.
