Why Some People are Crushed by Colds, While Others Get Off Easy

There are more than 170 rhinoviruses known to science. These causes of the common cold are found in noses all around you, and while rhinovirus infections tend to yield lots of snot and self-pity, often they cause no symptoms at all.

But if rhinoviruses are relatively benign for most people, infection can be deadly for others.

The last few decades have revealed that rhinovirus infections are behind a staggering number of asthma attacks, and for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)...