Interdisciplinary project explores the phenomenon of so-called “superspreaders” Scientists from the Departments of Physics, Biomedical Sciences and Process Engineering at Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg are in the process of analyzing the emergence and spread of infectious air bubbles in our breath, known as aerosols, using tissue cultivations and artificially-produced, virus-filled suspended particles. The aim of the interdisciplinary project, which is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) to the tune of almost €900,000, is to find out why the phenomenon of so-called "superspreaders" exists. The team of researchers is looking into the question of how the virus particles in the human body are packed into the tiny aerosols and which mechanisms lead to these aerosol particles adhering to the airways of other people, where they burst and leading to further infection. Process engineers are then developing simulation models to assist in making reliable predictions about the distribution and spread of the aerosols.