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FACT BRIEF

Do respirator masks prescribed to reduce viral spread contain nano-robot parasites that cause a disease?

By Dean Miller
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NO

An online video purports to show nano-robot parasites in the fabric of a face mask as seen through a microscope.

But "nano" describes structures one billionth of a meter across, which makes the "robot" images in the video impossible, since it shows a fingertip alongside the purported nano-bot.

The video says "manmade nano-bot technology fibers that behave like parasites" are the cause of Morgellons disease. But the Mayo Clinic describes Morgellons as a "controversial unexplained skin condition" that some doctors describe as a delusional infestation and others say is just fibers from band-aids or clothing that get stuck in sores or scabs and which patients misidentify as parasitic worms or nano-bots.

Whatever light-based viewing mechanism is used in the video, it shows a fingertip at approximately full-size, at which magnification a nano-object would be invisible.

See a full discussion of this at Lead Stories
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Mayo Clinic Morgellons disease: Managing an unexplained skin condition
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network Seeing Nano: Using scaning electron microscopy (SEM) to view nano-size objects
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
Lead Stories
Lead Stories is a fact checking and debunking website at the intersection of big data and journalism that launched in 2015. It scouts for trending stories, images, videos and posts that contain false information in order to fact check them as quickly as possible. It actively monitors the fake-news ecosystem and doesn’t wait for reader tips or reports before getting started on a story.
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About fact briefs published on Gigafact
Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.