Clapping hands spew out a jet of air, visualized here by baby powder. That jet helps explain the sweet sound of applause. Yicong Fu, Cornell University By Emily Conover March 4, 2025 at 8:00 am ...

This school voted to swap clapping for ‘jazz hands’ to help students with anxiety, sensory issues By Laura Hensley Global News Posted October 3, 2018 3:48 pm 3 min read ...

The results: The hand configuration that produced the loudest clap—85.2 dB—consisted of holding the hands 45 degrees to each other with the palms partially overlapping.

Jazz hands, a quiet shaking gesture of the hands that’s recognized by British sign language, is considered a more inclusive alternative to clapping, according to reports.