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Toxic Curtains
Recently the Center for Health, Environment and Justice has found that shower curtains made up of polyvinyl, or PVC, plastic may be hazardous to your health. Let Graeme freak you out more... Recently the Center for Health, Environment and Justice has found that shower curtains made up of polyvinyl, or PVC, plastic may be ha... more
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Does your doctor wash her/his hands?
Hand Washing: Time Well Spent
Special to The Washington Post
Tuesday, August 5, 2008; Page HE05
One morning on hospital rounds, I saw a physician colleague enter the intensive care unit where a patient lay intubated and sedated. With his hands unwashed and ungloved, the physician palpated the patient's abdomen, scratched his own head and then placed his stethoscope on the patient's chest to listen to his heart. Then he walked to the nurses station, rubbed his nose and entered a note in the patient's chart.
There was nothing unusual about this. Not washing hands scrupulously remains common practice for professionals at most hospitals, even though abundant research shows that it controls outbreaks of infectious disease, reduces transmission of resistant organisms and cuts infection rates among hospitalized patients. (continued) Hand Washing: Time Well Spent Special to The Washington Post Tuesday, August 5, 2008; Page HE05 ... more -
Space might be more germ infested than a kindergarten classroom
So, the toxin in Mars' soil might have refuted theories of life on Mars... http://current.com/items/89172309_toxin_in_soil_may_rul...
... but worry not ET fans! There's another popular theory that suggests the rest of space may teem with microbes: Galactic panspermia. It was once quite controversial, but as scientists continue to improve their understanding of earth and space, they're starting to give more credit the idea.
"Studies have shown that microbes can survive the shock levels of being launched into space," said Charles Cockell, a microbiologist at the Open University. "And as more and more organisms are discovered under extreme conditions, it's become more plausible that things could survive in space for the time it takes to go from one planet to another." So, the toxin in Mars' soil might have refuted theories of life on Mars... http://current.com/items/89172309_toxin_in_soil_may_ru... more -
How Dirty Are Your Shoes?
The Dirty Truth About Shoes Inside Your Home
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Science Comedian Brian Malow
MicrobeWorld and the Koshland Science Museum present a video podcast of comedian Brian Malow that includes excerpts from his science comedy act on infectious disease and an interview about the geek mystique of science.
Malow is also a contributing editor to the Journal of Irreproducible Results, a science humor magazine, and was producer and host of a pioneering internet talk show, But Seriously. His routine on Neil Armstrong was heard aboard the space shuttle. Brian lives in San Francisco. For a taste of his humor, visit his website, www.butseriously.com. MicrobeWorld and the Koshland Science Museum present a video podcast of comedian Brian Malow that includes excerpts from his science c... more -
This Germ Could Save Your Life
“I honestly think people are more comfortable with the idea of nano-robots scurrying through their bodies than they are of deploying bacteria” Thaler muses. They can at least keep your teeth cavity-free. A growing chorus of medical researchers say our bacteria-killing zealotry is misguided. Instead of fighting bugs, they argue, we should train them to do our bidding and then set them loose in our bodies. The trouble is keeping them there “I honestly think people are more comfortable with the idea of nano-robots scurrying through their bodies than they are of deploying b... more
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Dip Once or Dip Twice: A scientific inquiry into the realm of double-dipping
Researchers at Clemson University set the record straight in asking the age-old snacking question: Does double dipping encourage the spread of germs?
"OUR annual national snacking binge is almost here. It would take a very large bowl indeed to hold all the guacamole mashed from the more than 100 million avocados that are consumed on Super Bowl Sunday. (My rough calculation gives a hemisphere bowl 20 yards in diameter and 3 times the height of the goal post crossbars.) And guacamole is just one of many dips that will be shared around the TV..." Researchers at Clemson University set the record straight in asking the age-old snacking question: Does double dipping encourage the ... more -
Your Body Is Made Of Bacteria
Did you know all the bacteria in your body would fill a half gallon jug? According to Carolyn Bohach, a microbiologist at the University of Idaho, there are ten times more bacterial cells in your body than human ones. So basically this makes you a walking, symbiotic petri dish. Cool stuff... Did you know all the bacteria in your body would fill a half gallon jug? According to Carolyn Bohach, a microbiologist at the Universi... more
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The Dirt on Clean Hands
A brief insight into the history of hand washing. So listen up and wash those germs away!
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Whose offices are germier--women's or men's?
A University of Arizona microbiologist says that most desktops have about 400 times more germs than toilet seats. Ewww!
Watch this to find out what is the single most dirtiest item at the office! A University of Arizona microbiologist says that most desktops have about 400 times more germs than toilet seats. Ewww! ... more -
Attention germaphobes!
Be wary of the 12 germiest places in your LIFE.
1. Kitchen sink
2. Airplane bathrooms (yuck)
3. A load of wet laundry
4. Public drinking fountains
5. Shopping cart handles
6. ATM buttons
7. Your handbag
8. Playgrounds
9. Mats and machines at health clubs
10. Your bathtub
11. Your office phone
12. The hotel room remote control Be wary of the 12 germiest places in your LIFE. 1. Kitchen sink 2. Airplane bathrooms (yuck) 3. A load of wet laundry ... more -
Germs + Space = MUTANTS!
A group of scientists recently shot some germs into space to see what would happen. Well, it turns out they came back stronger and deadlier! We're finally living in a real life B-movie. A group of scientists recently shot some germs into space to see what would happen. Well, it turns out they came back stronger and de... more
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Space Mutants!! For Real!
A new study shows that bacteria becomes more deadly in space. Scientists took a bunch of salmonella, most likely to be responsible for your case of food poisoning, on a September 2006 space trip. When given to mice upon return, they were 3 times more likely to get sick, and croaked faster than from normal salmonella.
Sounds like a good case for making sure astronauts are in uber-perfect health before blasting off into orbit! A new study shows that bacteria becomes more deadly in space. Scientists took a bunch of salmonella, most likely to be responsible fo... more -
As if Global Warming wasn't bad enough
Melting glaciers might be releasing cryogenically preserved bacteria and virus strains not encountered for eons
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Germs
