Overview

• In a PNAS study, a guillotine-like cutter and high-speed imaging captured cell fluid jets that shattered into thousands of aerosolized droplets.
• Droplet velocities topped 140 kilometers per hour, boosting the likelihood that sulfur compounds reach the eyes.
• Dull blades and rapid impacts increased both droplet number and speed, whereas sharpening reduced emissions.
• Chilling onions before cutting produced more droplet ejection despite common advice that cooling lessens irritation.
• The authors caution that the same breakup of food droplets could disperse pathogens from contaminated raw ingredients, raising kitchen hygiene questions.