How do filters remove particles from the air and reduce exposure - especially the small ones? As this Risk Bites primer shows as it dives into the science of aerosol particle capture, it may not be how you think! Air filters are an important tool for protecting health, improving air quality, and reducing air pollution by removing potentially harmful particles from the air you breathe. But how they work isn't that intuitive -- especially at small particle sizes. This introduction to the aerosol science of filtration is relevant to workplace safety and public health, and is suitable for K-12 as well as college and professional audiences interested in how filters work. It specifically addresses collection mechanisms of diffusion and impaction, and explains how filters efficiently collect very small and very large particles, but not necessarily those that are between 200 - 300 nanometers in diameter. This video was originally posted on Science Showcase, as part of a tutorial on creating simple whiteboard videos. null It was filmed and recorded using an iPhone. #filter #risk #dust #exposure USEFUL LINKS Video techniques for effective science communication: https://riskinnovation.asu.edu/video-techniques/ RISK BITES Risk Bites videos are devised, created and produced by Andrew Maynard, in association with the Arizona State University School for the Future of Innovation in Society (http://sfis.asu.edu/). They focus on issues ranging from risk assessment and evidence-based decision making, to the challenges associated with emerging technologies and opportunities presented by public interest technology. Risk Bites videos are produced under a Creative Commons License CC-BY-SA Backing tracks: Clap Tap by Brightside Studio. https://www.premiumbeat.com/royalty-free-tracks/clap-tap _____ Professor Andrew Maynard is a scientist, author, and leading expert on risk and the ethical and socially responsible development and use of new technologies. He is an elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, serves as co-chair of the Institute for the Advancement of Nutrition and Food Science (IAFNS) Board of Trustees, is a member of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research President’s Research Council, has served on a number of National Academies of Sciences committees, and has testified before congressional committees on several occasions. As well as producing Risk Bites, Andrew’s work has appeared in publications ranging from The Washington Post and Scientific American, to Slate, Salon, and OneZero. He co-hosts the podcasts Mission: Interplanetary and Future Rising, and is the author of the books Films from the Future: The Technology and Morality of Sci-Fi Movies, and Future Rising: A Journey from the Past to the Edge of Tomorrow. Andrew received his PhD in aerosol dynamics from the University of Cambridge in 1993, and is currently a professor in the Arizona State University School for the Future of Innovation in Society, and an Associate Dean in the ASU College of Global Futures. More at http://andrewmaynard.net/