A Bacterium Named 'Elizabeth' Is Plaguing WisconsinÂ
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services is investigating a mysterious outbreak of a blood infection caused by the bacteria Elizabethkingia.
Please Stop Bumping Uglies at the Gym, Ok?
This post is dedicated to everyone approaching their gym workouts as if they’re auditioning for the “Call On Me” music video. We know you’re having sex at your fitness centers, people, and it’s time to cool the fuck down.
Time to Give Up Showers and Spray Yourself With a Coating of Live Bacteria
Chemical engineer Dave Whitlock hasn’t taken a shower in 12 years and hopes that you’ll be willing to give up bathing, too. No, this isn’t a weird sex thing (not yet, anyway, DAVE). It’s a bacteria thing. Whitlock claims that spraying yourself twice daily with a bacterial formula—developed by his company, AOBiome—will…
Study: Beaches Are Literal Human Litter Boxes
All this time you were worried about the water, but the sand is the real problem.
Maybe Beards Aren't Full of Poop Bacteria After All
Last week, the internet erupted with the news that beards, those beautiful things that hide men’s weak chins and childhood acne scars, are chock-full of something more than manliness—and that something is poop. For anyone either excited or horrified by this news (my immediate reaction was to go drag my bearded face…
Study Says Men's Beards Are Gross and Filled With Poop
Ah, beards. You either love them or hate them. For those of us that are pro-beard, it’s easy to find kindred spirits through all the facial hair-dedicated Tumblrs, Instagrams and OKCupid profiles proclaiming an undying love for faces full of fuzz. Now the beard-haters will have something to throw back at us. A recent…
Yay Summer: U.S. Beaches Are Disgusting and Too Much TV Will Kill You
Summer has officially arrived, and with it, the usual sweltering humidity — as well as the news that your local beach may be a health hazard.
Want Clearer Skin? Start Embracing Bacteria.
Sorry, germaphobes: Bacteria is hot right now.
You Are Mostly Made of Bacteria and There's a 'World War' in Your Colon
Today in butt news: Author Mary Roach (of Bonk and Stiff and Spook fame) has a new(ish) book out called Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal. In it, she explores some of the more fantastic and obscure truths about the human digestive system.
Nightmare Bacteria Could Be Growing on Your Cutting Board
Your mother's intense concern about you getting salmonella as a youth has just been put into perspective: a new study indicates that hands and cutting boards in hospitals and homes that have been in contact with poultry "remain a source of transmission for multi-drug resistant bacteria."
Hey, People -- Just Wash Your Fucking Hands, Okay?
It seems silly that we’re about to have this conversation, but people really need to start washing their hands. Like, right the fuck now. Oh, what’s that? You already wash your hands thoroughly after each bathroom visit, scrubbing with soap until you create a nice lather, and then rinsing under warm water? LIAR!
Your Purse is Grosser Than a Toilet Seat
Purses are both a blessing and a curse for ladies on the go. Invest in a good tote, said fashion, and so I obeyed. And man am I happy I listened to fashion. I love my gigantic Mary Poppins purse: It's the black hole where I throw in my makeup bag, tampons, books and magazines, miscellaneous objects found on the street…
Drug-Resistant 'Nightmare' Bacteria Is Coming For You
The CDC has issued a warning to hospitals, and, to paraphrase: BE AFRAID. So-called "nightmare bacteria" — drug-resistant germs that are impossible to treat — are on the rise.
Baby Poop Could Be the Key to Understanding Conditions Like Asthma, Obesity, and Diabetes
Babies born via Cesarean section have a different set of microbes in their digestive tracts than those born vaginally, according to a study that investigated and compared the stool samples of infants. Previous studies have linked C-sections with a higher risk of asthma, obesity, and diabetes, but the reasons weren't…
Woman Loses Her Legs and Fingers to Terrifying 'Dog Bacteria'
In case you needed something new to feel anxious about now that you've given up zip-lining, here's some info about a deadly pathogen that could be lurking in your furry friends' saliva.
Do You Know What's Living in Your Belly Button?
Your belly button is a veritable biosphere, housing an average of 67 different species of bacteria, according to a new study that examined the contents of people's navels. Researchers found that our belly buttons are filled with living organisms "that we don't know much about."
Sorry, Floor Eaters: The 5-Second Rule Is Definitely a Myth
The 5-second rule is a myth that has been busted before (by the Myth Busters, no less) and yet it persists, which is why YouTube's science channel Vsauce has set out and disproved it once and for all. Turns out, the moment your food touches the ground it is covered with bacteria and after a whole 5 seconds, it can…
Rosacea Possibly Caused by Tiny Mites Without Anuses Living on Your Face
Bugs are literally everywhere. They're on your sheets (probably), they're waiting in the dark corners of your shoes, they're hiding in pantry doors ready to jump out at you as if they've been spring-loaded and now, if you have rosacea, they might even be crawling in your pores, dying and leaving their bacteria-bloated…
South Carolina Mother Escapes the Icky Clutches of Flesh-Eating Bacteria with All of Her Limbs Intact
The shudder-inducing phrase "flesh-eating bacteria" proved to be the boogeyman of last month's news-cycle, but at least one victim of the nightmarish ailment has escaped her ordeal relatively unscathed.
Don't Freak Out, But Science Made a Map of All the Tiny Bugs Covering Your Body
We've long known that the human body is home to all kinds of bacteria, fungi, and other microbes, and now scientists have completed the first ever map of all of these semi-disgusting critters. It was not an easy job, but now the census of the human microbiome is complete and the verdict is that we're disgusting—but…
