A scary movie can make you scream. But did you know that it can also change your breath?
Each time you exhale, you release hundreds of colorless, odorless chemicals. Many come from processes in your body. Scientists in Germany recently studied how this chemical mixture changes as people watch movies. They analyzed the chemistry of air samples collected from theaters during movies like The Hunger Games.
During a movie’s most suspenseful scenes, scientists found, people exhaled more of certain chemicals. One was carbon dioxide, which our bodies produce when we make energy. People breathed out different chemicals at funny parts.
Scientists aren’t yet sure why these chemicals are associated with emotions. But someday, the research could help moviemakers measure an audience’s reaction to films.