In a pandemic world, it’s the loudly singing men who might be the most apt to spread infectious respiratory particles like the coronavirus.

It came as little surprise when the COVID-19 pandemic began in early 2020 that the performing arts were quickly shut down and the lights of Broadway dimmed. Now research out of Colorado State University shows how worry about the risk performers and their audience faced were spot on.

Researchers measured respiratory particles produced by people talking and singing in a specially designed aerosol testing chamber. About 100 volunteers sang and talked for science.

Findings indicate the spread of particles is mostly about volume and exhaled carbon dioxide. The emissions increase the louder someone talks or sings. What that means, scientists found, is that men emit more particles than women because, well, they’re just generally louder. Sorry, guys. It’s true. And kids emit fewer particles than adults because their voices just aren’t as robust as older folk. Singing is worse than talking. In fact, breaking out in song creates a whopping 77% more aerosols than a regular conversation.

Investigators point out their results are variable. For example, a child might be more likely to spread viral particles if they’re shouting compared with an adult talking normally.

All this work is more than idle curiosity. It opens the door to CO2 and noise level monitoring that could help protect against the coronavirus or any other respiratory disease.

Nobody is suggesting we silence our singing hearts and hold only whispered conversations. But some of us are still going to want to mask up whenever a man breaks out in song in our vicinity.