A single sternutation (sneeze) can travel more than 100 mph with a range of up to 5 feet. “Sternutation” is from the Latin “sternūtātiō,” meaning “sneezing.” Sternutation has many common causes — dust, pollen, pet hair, cold air, spicy foods, colds and flus — but there are also a variety of less common factors that may provoke a spell of sternutation. Some people sneeze after plucking their eyebrows, and others sneeze while exercising or after particularly heavy meals.