Scientists would like to take your breath away. Literally.
![A person’s breath is more than 99 percent water — and then a cocktail of many other molecules. Scientists are working to understand how the amounts of various molecules can serve as markers for some diseases, such as lung cancer.](https://i0.wp.com/www.sciencenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/8170.jpg?resize=300%2C198&ssl=1)
Exhaled vapor holds clues to your health, revealing much more than just what you ate for lunch. In recent years, researchers have been scrutinizing the misty mixture of molecules with fervor, seeking evidence of conditions ranging from sleep apnea to cancer.
Breath can also reveal exposure to pollutants such as benzene and chloroform, providing a measure of internal dose that is missed by sampling polluted air.