Your Breathing Pattern Is as Unique as a Fingerprint, Study Finds
Every single human on this planet is as distinct as a snowflake; a combination of traits and genes and microbes that, as far as we can tell, is not replicated exactly in any other single human.
One traits that is unique to each individual is the breath that sustains us. Each person has an idiosyncratic pattern to the constant inhale-exhale that counts out our hours, days, and years on this planet.
That's what a team of scientists discovered after fitting people with a wearable device that monitored their nasal breathing. An analysis of the data revealed patterns that were detailed enough for the researchers to identify individuals with an accuracy of 96.8 percent.
This 'respiratory fingerprint', says a team led by brain scientist Timna Soroka of the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, could promote new ways to understand and treat physical and mental ailments.
"You would think that breathing has been measured and analyzed in every way," says neuroscientist Noam Sobel of the Weizmann Institute of Science. "Yet we stumbled upon a completely new way to look at respiration. We consider this as a brain readout."
We can take breathing somewhat for granted, but it's governed by a complex and extensive brain network that largely automates the process, permitting for conscious control by the individual when circumstances require – such as holding one's breath when jumping into water, for instance.
Soroka, Sobel, and their colleagues at the Weizmann Olfaction Research Group have been investigating the way the brain processes scent during inhalation. During this research, they made the very small leap towards studying the concept of a breath-print.
"The idea of using an individual's breathing pattern as a unique signature has been discussed for decades within the respiratory science community. You can easily see each person's uniqueness when you measure different people," Soroka told ScienceAlert.
"However, there was no convenient way to measure it until now. The development of a tiny wearable device capable of recording over extended periods allowed us to measure 100 participants over 24 hours. This, in turn, enabled us to present the concept in a much more compelling way."
The researchers developed a device that precisely monitors and logs the airflow through each nostril of the wearer. Then, they tasked 97 study participants with wearing the device for up to 24 hours. From just one hour of recording, the researchers achieved an accurate identification rate of 43 percent, Soroka said. This accuracy skyrocketed at 24 hours.
The resulting breath log was then analyzed using a protocol known as BreathMetrics, which examines 24 parameters of the individual's nasal respiration.
Since respiration is usually only measured for short periods of time – around 20 minutes or so – the resulting dataset was far more comprehensive than usually seen, giving a much more comprehensive view of each individual's respiration, from rest to exertion.
"We expected to be able to identify individuals," Soroka said, "but not that it would be so strong."
The researchers did not just find that an individual can be confidently identified based on their breathing pattern; the results also revealed what those breathing patterns can indicate about a person.
There's the usual gamut of activities. A person at rest will have a distinct breathing pattern as opposed to someone out on a constitutional jog, for instance. The researchers also found that a person's breathing correlates with their BMI.
The study participants were tasked with filling out questionnaires about their mental health. Those participants with self-reported anxiety issues generally had shorter inhales and more variability in the pauses between their breaths while sleeping.
While not the purpose of the study, this indicates an avenue for further investigation. People undergoing significant stress or panic are given breathing exercises to help mitigate their symptoms. Perhaps working on conscious breathing could be more helpful than we thought.
The next step, however, will be how this research might be applied to diagnostics, Soroka said.
"We can learn how specific breathing patterns may predict various diseases," she explained. "But of course, in the future we will examine whether we can also treat disease by modifying respiratory patterns."
The research has been published in Current Biology.
Ozempic Without Nausea: Brain Cell Discovery Could Change Weight-Loss Drugs
Popular 'What I Eat in a Day' Videos Could Have 5 Dangerous Downsides
A Forgotten Cancer Is Surging in Young People, And Experts Are Puzzled
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
UPI
15 hours ago
- UPI
Israeli PM Netanyahu calls Iran 'evil' as he tours site of missile strike
1 of 6 | Calling Iran an 'evil regime,' Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday visited the Weizmann Institute of Science, close to where an Iranian missile hit earlier this week. Pool Photo by Jack GUEZ/UPI | License Photo June 20 (UPI) -- Calling Iran an "evil regime," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday visited the Weizmann Institute of Science, close to where an Iranian missile hit earlier this week. "This is the world-renowned Weizmann Institute, where the most advanced research in human biology is conducted -- medical research, genetic research," Netanyahu told reporters during the tour of the institute in the city of Rehovot in central Israel, some 12.5 miles south of Tel Aviv with a population of 150,000 people. "This research was shattered by a missile from the evil regime. They seek to destroy human progress. That is the essence of this regime. They have enslaved and oppressed their people for nearly 50 years -- half a century. Iran is the leading terrorist regime in the world. It must not be allowed to possess nuclear weapons. This is Israel's mission: to save itself from the Iranian threat of annihilation. In doing so, we are saving many, many others." Netanyahu's tour of the site where two buildings were completely destroyed came a day after the prime minister said in a post on X, "We will make the tyrants from Tehran pay the full price." Iranian missile strikes also hit the largest hospital in Southern Israel earlier in the week. The two countries are engaged in hostilities over Iran's nuclear program. The Weizmann Institute is known as the research crown jewel of Israeli science, with laboratories dedicated to studying health issues such as cancer, heart disease and neurodevelopmental disorders. "It's completely gone. Not a trace. Nothing can be saved," Professor Oren Schuldiner told The Economic Times. Officials estimate the damage from Iranian missiles to the institute at more than $500 million. Thousands of hours of research have also been lost. "The most valuable resource of the Weizmann Institute, aside from property, are samples that have been stored for decades in labs for scientific research -- and all of it is gone, with no backup," Biomolecular Sciences Department Professor Tslil Ast told Y Net News. Netanyah also toured an Israel Defense Forces base Friday where he praised intelligence officers for their work in the recent operations carried out in Iran. "I am here at an IDF Intelligence base with the head of IDF intelligence, and with our amazing people, the soldiers, both conscripts and reservists, who are doing sacred work in providing us with the intelligence that wins wars," Netanyahu said, accompanied by Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, National Security Council Director Tzachi Hanegbi and other top officials. "I cannot exaggerate the importance of the work that has been done, and which is being done at the moment, in achieving the total victory. Head of IDF Intelligence, thank you very much. For myself, the citizens of Israel and the Government of Israel, please convey my gratitude to everyone." Tensions in the region continue to escalate, with representatives from the European Union and Britain meeting for ciris talks on Friday with the Iranian counterparts. U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday set a 14-day deadline to decide on possible American military involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict. On Friday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said the goal of Western allies is "obtaining from Iran a lasting rollback of its nuclear and ballistic missiles programs."
Politico
2 days ago
- Politico
Israel threatens Iran's top leader after missiles damage hospital and wound more than 200
BEERSHEBA, Israel (AP) — Israel's defense minister overtly threatened Iran's supreme leader on Thursday after the latest missile barrage from Iran damaged the main hospital in southern Israel and hit several other residential buildings near Tel Aviv. Israel meanwhile struck a heavy water reactor that is part of Iran's nuclear program. At least 240 people were wounded by the Iranian missiles, four of them seriously, according to Israel's Health Ministry. The vast majority were lightly wounded, including more than 70 people from the Soroka Medical Center in the southern city of Beersheba, where smoke rose as emergency teams evacuated patients. In the aftermath of the strikes, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz blamed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and said the military 'has been instructed and knows that in order to achieve all of its goals, this man absolutely should not continue to exist.' U.S. officials said this week that President Donald Trump had vetoed an Israeli plan to kill Khamenei. Trump later said there were no plans to kill him 'at least not for now.' Israel carried out strikes on Iran's Arak heavy water reactor, in its latest attack on the country's sprawling nuclear program. The conflict began last Friday with a surprise wave of Israeli airstrikes targeting military sites, senior officers and nuclear scientists. A Washington-based Iranian human rights group said at least 639 people, including 263 civilians, have been killed in Iran and more than 1,300 wounded. In retaliation, Iran has fired over 400 missiles and hundreds of drones, killing at least 24 people in Israel and wounding hundreds. Two doctors told The Associated Press that the missile struck almost immediately after air raid sirens went off, causing a loud explosion that could be heard from a safe room. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief media. The hospital said the main impact was on an old surgery building that had been evacuated in recent days. After the strike, the medical facility was closed to all patients except for life-threatening cases, it said. Soroka has over 1,000 beds and provides services to around 1 million residents of Israel's south. There were no serious injuries from the strike on the hospital. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the attack and vowed a response, saying: 'We will exact the full price from the tyrants in Tehran.' Iran has fired hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel, though most have been shot down by Israel's multi-tiered air defenses, which detect incoming fire and shoot down missiles heading toward population centers and critical infrastructure. Israeli officials acknowledge it is imperfect. Many hospitals in Israel activated emergency plans in the past week, converting underground parking to hospital floors and moving patients underground, especially those who are on ventilators or are difficult to move quickly. Israel also boasts a fortified, subterranean blood bank that kicked into action after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 attack ignited the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip. Israel's military said its fighter jets targeted the Arak facility and its reactor core seal in order to prevent it from being used to produce plutonium. 'The strike targeted the component intended for plutonium production, in order to prevent the reactor from being restored and used for nuclear weapons development,' the military said. Israel separately claimed to have struck another site around Natanz it described as being related to Iran's nuclear program. Iranian state TV said there was 'no radiation danger whatsoever' from the attack on the Arak site. An Iranian state television reporter, speaking live in the nearby town of Khondab, said the facility had been evacuated and there was no damage to civilian areas around the reactor. Israel had warned earlier Thursday morning it would attack the facility and urged the public to flee the area. Iran has long maintained its program is for peaceful purposes. However, it also enriches uranium up to 60%, a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%. Iran is the only non-nuclear-weapon state to enrich at that level. Israel is the only nuclear-armed state in the Middle East but does not acknowledge having such weapons. The strikes came a day after Iran's supreme leader rejected U.S. calls for surrender and warned that any military involvement by the Americans would cause 'irreparable damage to them.' Israel had lifted some restrictions on daily life Wednesday, suggesting the missile threat from Iran on its territory was easing. Already, Israel's campaign has targeted Iran's enrichment site at Natanz, centrifuge workshops around Tehran and a nuclear site in Isfahan. Its strikes have also killed top generals and nuclear scientists. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he would travel to Geneva for meetings with his European counterparts on Friday, indicating a new diplomatic initiative might be taking shape. Iran's official IRNA news agency said the meeting would include foreign ministers from the United Kingdom, France and Germany and the European Union's top diplomat. Trump has said he wants something 'much bigger' that a ceasefire and has not ruled out the U.S. joining in Israel's campaign. Iran has warned of dire consequences if the U.S. deepens its involvement, without elaborating. The Arak heavy water reactor is 250 kilometers (155 miles) southwest of Tehran. Heavy water helps cool nuclear reactors, but it produces plutonium as a byproduct that can potentially be used in nuclear weapons. That would provide Iran another path to the bomb beyond enriched uranium, should it choose to pursue the weapon. Iran had agreed under its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers to redesign the facility over proliferation concerns. The reactor became a point of contention after President Donald Trump withdrew from the nuclear deal in 2018. Ali Akbar Salehi, a high-ranking nuclear official in Iran, said in 2019 that Tehran bought extra parts to replace a portion of the reactor that it had poured concrete into to render it unusable under the deal. Israel, in conducting its strike, signaled it remained concerned the facility could be used to produce plutonium again one day. 'The strike targeted the component intended for plutonium production, in order to prevent the reactor from being restored and used for nuclear weapons development,' the Israeli military said in a statement. The International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations' nuclear watchdog, has been urging Israel not to strike Iranian nuclear sites. IAEA inspectors reportedly last visited Arak on May 14. Due to restrictions Iran imposed on inspectors, the IAEA has said it lost 'continuity of knowledge' about Iran's heavy water production — meaning it could not absolutely verify Tehran's production and stockpile.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Yahoo
Scientists say your breathing pattern may reveal identity, mood, and health
Thought your fingerprint was unique? Turns out, your breath is just as telling. In a groundbreaking study, scientists have found that each person's breathing pattern is distinct enough to serve as a kind of respiratory fingerprint. Careful analysis of those patterns over a full day allowed researchers to identify individuals with nearly 96.8 percent accuracy, underscoring just how unique our breath really is. The research originated from the lab's focus on olfaction — the sense of smell. In mammals, the brain processes scent during inhalation, tying breathing closely to brain activity. This connection sparked a question: if every brain is unique, could our breathing patterns reveal that individuality? To test their hypothesis, the team designed a lightweight wearable device that continuously monitors nasal airflow, using soft, flexible tubes positioned just beneath the nostrils. The team, led by brain scientist Timna Soroka at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, discovered that our breath isn't just a mechanical reflex. It's shaped by a complex neural network in the brain and subtly influenced by everything from physical activity to emotional state. Discreet device on the nape of the neck, which recorded airflow through soft tubes connected to the nose. Credit-Soroka et al. Current Biology'You would think that breathing has been measured and analyzed in every way,' says author Noam Sobel of the Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel. 'Yet we stumbled upon a completely new way to look at respiration. We consider this as a brain readout.' Using a device that fits neatly over the nose, the researchers monitored the breathing patterns of 100 healthy young adults as they went about their daily lives, capturing a detailed log of 24 respiratory parameters. Even just an hour of recorded breathing allowed for moderate identification, but with a full day's worth of data, the uniqueness of each person's breath pattern became strikingly clear. What's more, these breathing signatures didn't just point to identity. They also hinted at broader health markers, from body mass index, sleep-wake cycle, levels of depression and anxiety, and even behavioral traits. Participants with self-reported anxiety, for instance, showed shorter inhales and greater variability during sleep, opening new avenues for mental health diagnostics through breath alone. Researchers, however, noted that none of the participants met clinical diagnostic criteria for mental or behavioral conditions. 'We intuitively assume that how depressed or anxious you are changes the way you breathe,' says Sobel. 'But it might be the other way around. Perhaps the way you breathe makes you anxious or depressed. If that's true, we might be able to change the way you breathe to change those conditions.' The current device still has practical hurdles to overcome. Its visible nasal tube can evoke associations with illness, potentially discouraging everyday use. It also doesn't track mouth breathing and can shift during sleep. The team is now working on a more discreet, user-friendly design to make long-term wear more comfortable and appealing. The researchers are already investigating whether people can mimic healthy breathing patterns to improve their mental and emotional states. 'We definitely want to go beyond diagnostics to treatment, and we are cautiously optimistic,' says Sobel. This research has been published in Current Biology.
