1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,520 Speaker 1: Guess what mango? What's that will? So I was traveling 2 00:00:02,600 --> 00:00:04,640 Speaker 1: last week and as I go through security, I'm waiting 3 00:00:04,640 --> 00:00:06,400 Speaker 1: on my bag to be scanned, and I catch this 4 00:00:06,559 --> 00:00:09,680 Speaker 1: strong whiff of pure and it reminded me to pull 5 00:00:09,720 --> 00:00:12,240 Speaker 1: mine out, because there's something about all this stuff going 6 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:14,560 Speaker 1: in and out of bins that really grosses me out. 7 00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:17,159 Speaker 1: But then I realized mine wasn't on me. So I 8 00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:18,439 Speaker 1: looked at the end of the moving belt and I 9 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:20,880 Speaker 1: saw there was a dispenser. I walk over and I 10 00:00:20,920 --> 00:00:23,840 Speaker 1: put some of that magic on my hands. Ten feet 11 00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:26,960 Speaker 1: after that, there was another dispenser. Suddenly I started noticing 12 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:29,640 Speaker 1: these things everywhere I could have gone swimming, and all 13 00:00:29,640 --> 00:00:32,760 Speaker 1: the hand sanitizer available to me. It's something so present 14 00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:35,640 Speaker 1: in our lives. My son just calls it hand sand hands, 15 00:00:35,760 --> 00:00:38,040 Speaker 1: and I hope that takes off me too. And it 16 00:00:38,080 --> 00:00:40,720 Speaker 1: made me wonder how did hand sanitizer becomes such a thing. 17 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:42,639 Speaker 1: And it turns out it goes all the way back 18 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:45,000 Speaker 1: to this woman named Goldie Lippmann who worked at a 19 00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:47,800 Speaker 1: rubber plant in the forties. At the time, workers would 20 00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:50,360 Speaker 1: use benzine to get carbon off their hands, which is 21 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:53,440 Speaker 1: super harsh. So Goldie and her husband Jerry, invented a 22 00:00:53,440 --> 00:00:57,319 Speaker 1: more gentle, waterless cleaner. It's this classic startup story. They 23 00:00:57,360 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 1: lived in their parents attict. They mixed up test batches 24 00:00:59,880 --> 00:01:02,720 Speaker 1: and the laundry machine, and then they packaged it in 25 00:01:02,760 --> 00:01:07,360 Speaker 1: pickle jars. That's right, so artisical, I know. But then 26 00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:09,080 Speaker 1: they tried to sell the stuff and it didn't go 27 00:01:09,160 --> 00:01:11,919 Speaker 1: so well. How come? Well, no one wanted to try 28 00:01:11,959 --> 00:01:15,280 Speaker 1: this goopy stuff, So Jerry came up with a sales trick. 29 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:18,520 Speaker 1: Just before meeting. He scored a little dab on his palm. 30 00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:21,080 Speaker 1: Then when someone would shake his hand, they'd get startled 31 00:01:21,120 --> 00:01:23,880 Speaker 1: because who wants to feel this cold, wet glob and 32 00:01:23,959 --> 00:01:28,040 Speaker 1: a handshake. It's pretty gross, I know. But as they 33 00:01:28,120 --> 00:01:30,559 Speaker 1: rubbed it to get it off, the factory stains would 34 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:33,920 Speaker 1: vanish from inside their palms, which I guess. It's pretty smart. 35 00:01:33,959 --> 00:01:36,360 Speaker 1: It's genius, I think. And so this is the proto 36 00:01:36,440 --> 00:01:40,600 Speaker 1: purell and today hand sanitizers are everywhere, But looking at 37 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:42,680 Speaker 1: all the hands sand around us, it got me wondering 38 00:01:42,920 --> 00:01:46,240 Speaker 1: are we being overprotective? How clean should we be? And 39 00:01:46,240 --> 00:02:01,720 Speaker 1: that's the question we're tackling on Today's Part Time Genius 40 00:02:05,520 --> 00:02:08,120 Speaker 1: Say their podcast listeners, I'm Will Pearson and as always 41 00:02:08,160 --> 00:02:10,240 Speaker 1: I'm joined by my good friend man Gesh Ticketer, and 42 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:13,040 Speaker 1: you're listening to part Time Genius now today I can 43 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:16,240 Speaker 1: barely recognize man Gesh because he's currently wrapped in plastic 44 00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:19,240 Speaker 1: wrapped from the office kitchen. Any reeks of hand sanitizers? 45 00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:22,160 Speaker 1: Did I used too much? I mean, maybe a little. Well, 46 00:02:22,280 --> 00:02:24,600 Speaker 1: I know Purell is more your thing, but ever since 47 00:02:24,639 --> 00:02:26,960 Speaker 1: doing all this research on germs this week, I think 48 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:29,800 Speaker 1: of making it my signature scent. Like how prints always 49 00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:32,280 Speaker 1: smell like lavender. I can't say that I was aware 50 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:35,359 Speaker 1: of that. Yeah, used to smell like heavy, heavy lavender, 51 00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:37,000 Speaker 1: and his friends used to say that they could smell 52 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:40,160 Speaker 1: his presence like a full minute before he entered the room. 53 00:02:40,200 --> 00:02:42,200 Speaker 1: So you'd be sitting there and you'd feel this hit 54 00:02:42,280 --> 00:02:46,240 Speaker 1: of lavender and then oh, you can just appear like 55 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:49,120 Speaker 1: an angel. Anyway, after this week, I'm thinking of doing 56 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:52,040 Speaker 1: that with Purel. I think that's a that's a brilliant plan, Mango. 57 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:54,320 Speaker 1: But you know what's interesting, and I realized we're going 58 00:02:54,360 --> 00:02:57,400 Speaker 1: deep on hand sanitizer before this episode even starts. But 59 00:02:57,840 --> 00:03:00,680 Speaker 1: one of the things customers always indicate is a preference 60 00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:04,720 Speaker 1: for unscented sanitizers, but when hand sanitizer companies came out 61 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:07,400 Speaker 1: with more a few years ago, not only did customers 62 00:03:07,440 --> 00:03:10,560 Speaker 1: not by the fragrance reversions, but there was concern in 63 00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:13,160 Speaker 1: the health community that people weren't applying enough of it 64 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:15,520 Speaker 1: to really kill the germs. Well, I'm pretty sure I 65 00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:18,240 Speaker 1: use enough of it. I would agree with that. But 66 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:20,680 Speaker 1: speaking of our research this week, we were reminded yet 67 00:03:20,720 --> 00:03:23,679 Speaker 1: again that science is weird because it feels like we're 68 00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:27,680 Speaker 1: always reading these contradictory reports. It's healthy to drink wine 69 00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:29,919 Speaker 1: one week, then it's not healthy to drink wine. It's 70 00:03:29,919 --> 00:03:32,760 Speaker 1: healthy to drink coffee, it's not healthy to drink coffee. 71 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:35,000 Speaker 1: You know, it turns out it's not healthy to smoke 72 00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:37,760 Speaker 1: a bucket full of cigarettes. That that is how they 73 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:39,800 Speaker 1: sell cigarettes now today. Still, yeah, you want to get 74 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:42,080 Speaker 1: them by the top, that's the super cool thing to do. 75 00:03:43,720 --> 00:03:46,240 Speaker 1: And it feels like studies on germs are the same way. 76 00:03:46,280 --> 00:03:47,920 Speaker 1: I mean, we know it's good to be clean, but 77 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:50,280 Speaker 1: we also hear reports that tell us to quit trying 78 00:03:50,320 --> 00:03:53,880 Speaker 1: to kill every germ out there. Speaking of which, before 79 00:03:53,920 --> 00:03:56,560 Speaker 1: we fully dive into this, I know we can both 80 00:03:56,560 --> 00:03:59,680 Speaker 1: be a little germophobic, mango, But what's one thing you 81 00:03:59,800 --> 00:04:02,440 Speaker 1: do it was a germophobe that you'd be embarrassed to admit. 82 00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:04,280 Speaker 1: I know. For me, it's that as soon as I 83 00:04:04,280 --> 00:04:06,880 Speaker 1: walk into a hotel room, I look for the free 84 00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:09,360 Speaker 1: shower cap and the bathroom or the plastic bag and 85 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:12,840 Speaker 1: the ice bucket to slip over the remote control so 86 00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:16,000 Speaker 1: like a remote control condom. Oh yeah, I love it. 87 00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:18,400 Speaker 1: So we've known each other for almost twenty years now, 88 00:04:18,400 --> 00:04:20,720 Speaker 1: and I'm not sure you know this, but I won't 89 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:22,320 Speaker 1: take a sip out of a drink someone else has 90 00:04:22,360 --> 00:04:26,000 Speaker 1: been drinking from. I know. And it's not just germophobic, 91 00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:30,040 Speaker 1: it's cultural. Like in India, the tap water is un drinkable, 92 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:32,840 Speaker 1: so families tend to keep big glass bottles filled with 93 00:04:32,880 --> 00:04:36,560 Speaker 1: purified water on tables. They're communal and they're just filled 94 00:04:36,640 --> 00:04:38,640 Speaker 1: and ready to drink from. So it's a four year 95 00:04:38,680 --> 00:04:40,599 Speaker 1: old you learned to pour water from one or two 96 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:43,000 Speaker 1: inches above your mouth, so you're never actually touching your 97 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:45,160 Speaker 1: lips to it. And it's all because you don't want 98 00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:47,719 Speaker 1: to spread germs, Like if you've touched your lips to it, 99 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:50,560 Speaker 1: then you've ruined it for everyone else. But and this 100 00:04:50,640 --> 00:04:52,160 Speaker 1: is the weird part, and it's hard for me to 101 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:54,760 Speaker 1: say out loud, but even if my wife sees me 102 00:04:54,839 --> 00:04:56,960 Speaker 1: drinking a bottle of root beer and just takes a swig, 103 00:04:57,279 --> 00:05:00,400 Speaker 1: I can't drink it out, Like I really can't drink it. 104 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:04,000 Speaker 1: I have to force myself. And so that's my big secret. 105 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:06,440 Speaker 1: Like my sister and I both, it's this weird mixture 106 00:05:06,440 --> 00:05:10,160 Speaker 1: of like Indian politeness and germophoben nous and sort of 107 00:05:10,160 --> 00:05:12,520 Speaker 1: where those things then diagram. I think this is really 108 00:05:12,560 --> 00:05:14,719 Speaker 1: the kind of thing you shouldn't admit, not because it's 109 00:05:14,720 --> 00:05:17,400 Speaker 1: that embarrassing, but because friends love to mess with you 110 00:05:17,440 --> 00:05:19,600 Speaker 1: on things like this. It's like when friends find out 111 00:05:19,640 --> 00:05:21,640 Speaker 1: that I can't stand for my nose to be touched. 112 00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:24,000 Speaker 1: It makes me dizzy, and then they just think it's 113 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:26,919 Speaker 1: so funny to walk up and tappy right on the 114 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:30,279 Speaker 1: button knows that's right now. We also wanted our podcast 115 00:05:30,320 --> 00:05:33,239 Speaker 1: listeners to share some of their more embarrassing germophobic moments 116 00:05:33,279 --> 00:05:35,640 Speaker 1: on Facebook. So if you're up for sharing, contribute your 117 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:38,200 Speaker 1: story to our Facebook page and we'll be mailing out 118 00:05:38,200 --> 00:05:41,279 Speaker 1: a big and ridiculous prize to our favorite three stories. 119 00:05:41,320 --> 00:05:43,120 Speaker 1: What What what's the prize again, I can't tell you. 120 00:05:43,240 --> 00:05:46,039 Speaker 1: This is gonna be huge, so big can't win. But 121 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:48,839 Speaker 1: let's talk about this recent cover story and New Scientists. 122 00:05:48,880 --> 00:05:51,840 Speaker 1: You know this is one of my favorite magazines. I mean, honestly, 123 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:54,120 Speaker 1: how many times a day do I mention my love 124 00:05:54,160 --> 00:05:58,840 Speaker 1: of New Scientists? Conservatively, maybe I'd say at least yeah. 125 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:02,039 Speaker 1: So Penny Sarche, a biomedical news editor for New Scientists, 126 00:06:02,040 --> 00:06:04,400 Speaker 1: which we've established I love, and who's going to be 127 00:06:04,440 --> 00:06:06,800 Speaker 1: joining us a little later today, wrote a story titled 128 00:06:06,920 --> 00:06:10,040 Speaker 1: Germ Warfare, and and it she talks about this struggle 129 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:12,560 Speaker 1: of trying to figure out how clean is too clean, 130 00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 1: because we know good hygiene helps prevent infection and the 131 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:18,680 Speaker 1: spread of disease, but we also know they're definitely good 132 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:21,280 Speaker 1: bacteria that keep us well. But let's back up a 133 00:06:21,279 --> 00:06:23,960 Speaker 1: little bit. So in the late eighties and early nineties, 134 00:06:24,040 --> 00:06:26,599 Speaker 1: many researchers really started to get behind the theory that 135 00:06:26,680 --> 00:06:29,600 Speaker 1: kids were developing allergies later because they were avoiding so 136 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:32,479 Speaker 1: many infections early in life, and they had plenty of 137 00:06:32,520 --> 00:06:35,240 Speaker 1: evidence to point to like kids are less likely to 138 00:06:35,240 --> 00:06:38,040 Speaker 1: develop allergies or asthma if they grew up on a farm, 139 00:06:38,200 --> 00:06:40,159 Speaker 1: or grew up with a dog, or if their parents 140 00:06:40,160 --> 00:06:43,119 Speaker 1: washed dishes by hand. I mean, we're a dishwasher family. 141 00:06:43,200 --> 00:06:45,880 Speaker 1: Some white kids are screwed. Definitely us too. But oh, 142 00:06:45,920 --> 00:06:47,520 Speaker 1: here's a really gross one. Are you ready for this? 143 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:49,880 Speaker 1: You might want to gargle a little more purele before 144 00:06:49,920 --> 00:06:53,159 Speaker 1: I read this up. So Sarch says a two thousand 145 00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:55,960 Speaker 1: fourteen paper that found that children are less likely to 146 00:06:56,040 --> 00:06:59,599 Speaker 1: develop precursors to asthma if in their first year they're 147 00:06:59,600 --> 00:07:04,400 Speaker 1: exposed to particles from cats, mice, and cockroaches. It makes 148 00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:06,599 Speaker 1: you wonder if they'll eventually develop a powder made of 149 00:07:06,640 --> 00:07:10,040 Speaker 1: cat hair, mice tails, and cockroach faces that you sprinkle 150 00:07:10,080 --> 00:07:13,040 Speaker 1: on your kid. Cockroach faces. I don't know why it 151 00:07:13,040 --> 00:07:14,600 Speaker 1: has to be faces, but it just seemed all of 152 00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:17,360 Speaker 1: it was gross. We can't even imagine that. Actually, I 153 00:07:17,400 --> 00:07:19,440 Speaker 1: read this piece in the l A Times about Amish 154 00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:21,800 Speaker 1: families and their homes because the kids tend to have 155 00:07:21,880 --> 00:07:25,880 Speaker 1: considerably less asthma. And scientists actually took dust from regular 156 00:07:25,920 --> 00:07:28,760 Speaker 1: homes and then dust from Amish households, and when they 157 00:07:28,760 --> 00:07:31,680 Speaker 1: sprinkled the Amish dust in front of mice's noses, it 158 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:35,120 Speaker 1: tended to protect the mice's airways from allergens, which is 159 00:07:35,240 --> 00:07:38,880 Speaker 1: so crazy, so amish dust. It's like a new business idea, 160 00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:42,480 Speaker 1: we are going to be so rich. Actually, do you 161 00:07:42,480 --> 00:07:45,080 Speaker 1: know who was really dirty and probably didn't have much 162 00:07:45,080 --> 00:07:47,480 Speaker 1: as I can't wait for the answer on this one. 163 00:07:48,080 --> 00:07:50,400 Speaker 1: What a setup, right? For some reason I got stuck 164 00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:53,520 Speaker 1: in a rabbit hole about royalty and according to the economist, 165 00:07:53,960 --> 00:07:56,880 Speaker 1: kings from France and England in the fifteen hundreds and 166 00:07:56,920 --> 00:08:00,560 Speaker 1: sixteen hundreds were the dirtiest, like they believe hot water 167 00:08:00,680 --> 00:08:02,880 Speaker 1: was the devil and that they could open up your 168 00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:05,880 Speaker 1: pores and let all sorts of illness in. So here. 169 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:08,800 Speaker 1: A few stories I found like Francis Henry the fourth 170 00:08:08,840 --> 00:08:15,160 Speaker 1: famously stunk of quote sweat stables feet and Garland Louis 171 00:08:15,240 --> 00:08:17,760 Speaker 1: the eighth didn't have his first bath until he was seven. 172 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:22,280 Speaker 1: Oh God, Versailles for all the glamorous laboratories, like washing 173 00:08:22,280 --> 00:08:25,080 Speaker 1: with water wasn't even a concern. And England's James the 174 00:08:25,120 --> 00:08:29,240 Speaker 1: First never bathe. He only washed his fingertips, just just 175 00:08:29,320 --> 00:08:32,520 Speaker 1: the tips. That is so gross. But unfortunately, being healthy 176 00:08:32,520 --> 00:08:35,160 Speaker 1: and living forever isn't as simple as just saying okay, 177 00:08:35,280 --> 00:08:37,840 Speaker 1: let's be dirtier. But before we dig into that, how 178 00:08:37,840 --> 00:08:48,440 Speaker 1: about we break for a quiz. Sounds smart, So, Mengo, 179 00:08:48,480 --> 00:08:49,920 Speaker 1: who do we have on the line to play today? 180 00:08:50,040 --> 00:08:52,679 Speaker 1: So he's got two lab scientists. Their names are Bertha 181 00:08:52,840 --> 00:08:59,080 Speaker 1: and Umish, and Umish is a special guest. That's right, Mash, 182 00:08:59,160 --> 00:09:03,600 Speaker 1: Welcome to the show. Oh, thank you. So you knows 183 00:09:03,760 --> 00:09:06,920 Speaker 1: was a chemical engineer who worked on several agriculture products 184 00:09:06,920 --> 00:09:09,640 Speaker 1: over the years. But I heard that you actually first 185 00:09:09,640 --> 00:09:13,160 Speaker 1: got interested in chemistry and experiments by baking bread with 186 00:09:13,240 --> 00:09:15,160 Speaker 1: your dad as a kid in India. Is this true? 187 00:09:15,280 --> 00:09:18,000 Speaker 1: Or is Mango just making stuff up as usual? You 188 00:09:18,120 --> 00:09:21,000 Speaker 1: used to make the cloth and we had to modify 189 00:09:21,080 --> 00:09:23,520 Speaker 1: it for gluten and other things to make it sure 190 00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:27,640 Speaker 1: it rose and reacted to the east. That's wonderful, that's 191 00:09:27,640 --> 00:09:29,400 Speaker 1: really neat. What a great way to be introduced to 192 00:09:29,400 --> 00:09:33,520 Speaker 1: the science. Is so. And our second guest, Bertha is 193 00:09:33,679 --> 00:09:38,160 Speaker 1: at the University of Alabama, Birmingham. Bertha, Welcome to the show. Hi, 194 00:09:38,200 --> 00:09:40,120 Speaker 1: thanks for having me. Tell us a little bit what 195 00:09:40,559 --> 00:09:43,480 Speaker 1: you do at U A B. So, I'm a genetic 196 00:09:43,520 --> 00:09:47,560 Speaker 1: epigeeologist and um that does not mean that I study 197 00:09:47,640 --> 00:09:54,240 Speaker 1: skin diseases. I study genetics and um type two diabetes 198 00:09:54,280 --> 00:09:56,719 Speaker 1: and a b CD and cardiovascular disease, and try and 199 00:09:56,840 --> 00:10:00,679 Speaker 1: figure out what environmental exposures can change some of our 200 00:10:00,720 --> 00:10:04,000 Speaker 1: genetic outcomes. Oh wow, very cool. Yeah, we do the 201 00:10:04,040 --> 00:10:05,960 Speaker 1: same thing, but Mango and I are both really into 202 00:10:05,960 --> 00:10:10,840 Speaker 1: that kind of expert on the side. Yeah, speaking of 203 00:10:10,960 --> 00:10:13,320 Speaker 1: on the side, I understand that when you first got 204 00:10:13,360 --> 00:10:16,440 Speaker 1: into the field, you weren't quite making enough money to 205 00:10:16,480 --> 00:10:19,240 Speaker 1: make ends meet, so you would ballroom dance to bring 206 00:10:19,240 --> 00:10:21,720 Speaker 1: in additional money. Is this true? I did? I am 207 00:10:21,760 --> 00:10:29,440 Speaker 1: responsible for many a wedding first dance choreography. Yes, yeah, 208 00:10:29,440 --> 00:10:31,560 Speaker 1: it was a lot of fun. Well cool, Well best 209 00:10:31,679 --> 00:10:34,480 Speaker 1: the best science is very collaborative science. So we've decided 210 00:10:34,520 --> 00:10:36,480 Speaker 1: to let you to team up for this quiz. Now 211 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:38,560 Speaker 1: what are we playing, Mengo. We're playing a game called 212 00:10:38,679 --> 00:10:42,480 Speaker 1: clean Sweep. Okay, all right, Now, normally we would try 213 00:10:42,480 --> 00:10:45,839 Speaker 1: to make some sort of tangential connection, like being lab scientists, 214 00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:48,760 Speaker 1: you're very good at sanitizing things. But we want to 215 00:10:48,760 --> 00:10:50,439 Speaker 1: be honest with you here. We just found a lot 216 00:10:50,480 --> 00:10:53,240 Speaker 1: of words that rhymed with clean and turned them into 217 00:10:53,320 --> 00:10:56,920 Speaker 1: quiz questions. So this is how it works. We're going 218 00:10:56,960 --> 00:10:59,160 Speaker 1: to give you a clue, and then you say the 219 00:10:59,200 --> 00:11:03,360 Speaker 1: word clean before the example. So this is so stupid, Mango. 220 00:11:03,480 --> 00:11:06,160 Speaker 1: You're the best at these awful cluses. Alright, so give 221 00:11:06,240 --> 00:11:09,559 Speaker 1: us a sample, Mango. So the reason we wear costumes 222 00:11:09,600 --> 00:11:14,040 Speaker 1: on October thirty one, you would say clean Halloween, right? 223 00:11:14,240 --> 00:11:17,559 Speaker 1: Or Elizabeth the second title in England, you might say 224 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:21,720 Speaker 1: clean Queen? Right? All right? You guys that you guys 225 00:11:21,800 --> 00:11:24,760 Speaker 1: got it? Okay, so here we go. We're gonna let 226 00:11:24,800 --> 00:11:27,200 Speaker 1: you guys go one at a time, but you're working together, 227 00:11:27,240 --> 00:11:29,040 Speaker 1: and if one of you doesn't get it, you can 228 00:11:29,040 --> 00:11:31,720 Speaker 1: toss it to the other person. So, Bertha, we will 229 00:11:31,760 --> 00:11:35,040 Speaker 1: start with you. Question number one. A stretched out car 230 00:11:35,080 --> 00:11:39,600 Speaker 1: that glamorous people get to drive in. Oh uh, clean 231 00:11:39,800 --> 00:11:44,680 Speaker 1: limousine for one mesh an underwater vessel the Beatles sang 232 00:11:44,679 --> 00:11:49,120 Speaker 1: about you got it all right, Bertha. A jingle jangle 233 00:11:49,240 --> 00:11:52,280 Speaker 1: hand instrument. Bob Dylan asked a man to play in 234 00:11:52,360 --> 00:11:56,720 Speaker 1: the song Oh My Goodness and my Dad as a 235 00:11:56,880 --> 00:11:59,880 Speaker 1: backup singer in a Rolling Stones band and call it 236 00:12:00,160 --> 00:12:04,559 Speaker 1: might know this all right, let's hear it. It's a 237 00:12:04,679 --> 00:12:08,480 Speaker 1: jingle jangle hand instrument. It would be a clean tambourine 238 00:12:08,640 --> 00:12:15,600 Speaker 1: that's okay, alright, who matched? This is back to you 239 00:12:16,120 --> 00:12:18,760 Speaker 1: the thing you mix with ginger ale in a Shirley 240 00:12:18,840 --> 00:12:24,360 Speaker 1: Temple queen grenade felt their Bertha, Okay, this one's back 241 00:12:24,400 --> 00:12:28,440 Speaker 1: to you, alright. A character with adamantium clause from the 242 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:36,800 Speaker 1: X Men. It's also the University of Michigan mascot. We're 243 00:12:36,840 --> 00:12:38,840 Speaker 1: just gonna throw them out. Let either one of you answer. 244 00:12:38,840 --> 00:12:41,640 Speaker 1: Here we go, number number six. You guys have gotten 245 00:12:41,640 --> 00:12:43,560 Speaker 1: five out of six, so you're in good shape. A 246 00:12:43,559 --> 00:12:47,120 Speaker 1: colorful easter candy, the Easter bunny might leave for you. 247 00:12:47,280 --> 00:12:51,559 Speaker 1: A colorful candy the Easter Bunny might leave for you. 248 00:12:51,559 --> 00:12:54,520 Speaker 1: You got it, Bertha, well done, alright. Question number seven 249 00:12:54,520 --> 00:12:57,480 Speaker 1: two left a method of execution that arose during the 250 00:12:57,520 --> 00:13:00,360 Speaker 1: French Revolution. The last time one was used and was 251 00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:05,240 Speaker 1: in France in nineteen seventy seven. Got a nice job, 252 00:13:05,440 --> 00:13:08,120 Speaker 1: last one, all right? Former star of Two and a 253 00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:14,600 Speaker 1: Half Men, brother to Amelio Estevez. Oh gosh, it's got 254 00:13:14,679 --> 00:13:21,200 Speaker 1: a dad named Martin. Yes, clean, Charlie Sheen, I don't 255 00:13:21,240 --> 00:13:27,400 Speaker 1: think really exists. So it's ath So how many do they? 256 00:13:27,640 --> 00:13:29,560 Speaker 1: How many they get? Right? Mango? So they got seven 257 00:13:29,559 --> 00:13:31,080 Speaker 1: out of eight and of course that means they win 258 00:13:31,200 --> 00:13:33,760 Speaker 1: the big prize, which is a note to your mom, 259 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:36,440 Speaker 1: your boss written from us, which is, you know, finally 260 00:13:36,520 --> 00:13:39,400 Speaker 1: the validation you've been looking for. Wow, what a great prize. 261 00:13:39,440 --> 00:13:54,439 Speaker 1: Congratulations guys. So we're talking about the question how clean 262 00:13:54,640 --> 00:13:57,040 Speaker 1: is too clean? And before the break we were discussing 263 00:13:57,120 --> 00:13:58,839 Speaker 1: how a little more dirt in our lives might be 264 00:13:58,960 --> 00:14:01,480 Speaker 1: a key to healthier live thing. But for anyone who 265 00:14:01,600 --> 00:14:03,839 Speaker 1: heard that and decided to start licking the floor, pull 266 00:14:03,920 --> 00:14:06,960 Speaker 1: yourself together. It's a little more complicated than that, although 267 00:14:07,040 --> 00:14:08,959 Speaker 1: it is a little of that, right, Like, one of 268 00:14:09,000 --> 00:14:11,600 Speaker 1: the things I'm fascinated by is that we ingest fifty 269 00:14:11,679 --> 00:14:14,360 Speaker 1: to sixty milligrams of soil a day, and that little 270 00:14:14,400 --> 00:14:17,160 Speaker 1: bit of dirt might be helping us be healthier. Like, 271 00:14:17,280 --> 00:14:21,240 Speaker 1: scientists also think playing quote social sports can help and 272 00:14:21,480 --> 00:14:23,240 Speaker 1: will I know, we like to have debates about what 273 00:14:23,600 --> 00:14:26,680 Speaker 1: a sport is, like is Badman really a sports? Please 274 00:14:26,720 --> 00:14:28,600 Speaker 1: don't get me started off. I know you have some 275 00:14:28,720 --> 00:14:32,440 Speaker 1: super strong feelings. But what's important here is where we're 276 00:14:32,480 --> 00:14:35,000 Speaker 1: getting our daily bacteria from could actually play a big 277 00:14:35,080 --> 00:14:37,120 Speaker 1: role in our health, right, I mean, the reality is 278 00:14:37,160 --> 00:14:39,600 Speaker 1: some bacteria are good, some are bad. So it's more 279 00:14:39,640 --> 00:14:45,440 Speaker 1: about understanding our dada microbiome. Now you're probably wondering what 280 00:14:45,520 --> 00:14:48,360 Speaker 1: a microbiome is, And for the super condensed version, let's 281 00:14:48,400 --> 00:14:51,600 Speaker 1: turn to our microbiome correspondent. Oh wait, that's you. You're 282 00:14:51,680 --> 00:14:55,320 Speaker 1: you're a microbiome correspondent. Ban of congratulations. All right, okay, 283 00:14:55,360 --> 00:14:59,160 Speaker 1: talk to me. I can talk to microbiomes. So let's 284 00:14:59,200 --> 00:15:01,280 Speaker 1: stuff back as that. And we humans like to think 285 00:15:01,280 --> 00:15:04,800 Speaker 1: of ourselves as individuals, right, like we've got big egos. 286 00:15:05,120 --> 00:15:08,240 Speaker 1: But the truth is there as many non human cells 287 00:15:08,240 --> 00:15:10,920 Speaker 1: in our body as human cells, and because they're all 288 00:15:10,960 --> 00:15:13,440 Speaker 1: working with us, playing a vital role in our body's success, 289 00:15:13,880 --> 00:15:15,640 Speaker 1: in some ways, it's more important to think of your 290 00:15:15,680 --> 00:15:18,800 Speaker 1: body like a super organism, almost like a colony of 291 00:15:18,960 --> 00:15:21,800 Speaker 1: ants all working together, or even a slime mold, like 292 00:15:22,000 --> 00:15:24,960 Speaker 1: all pulling in one direction. I know it's gross, right, 293 00:15:25,080 --> 00:15:28,080 Speaker 1: but that analogy doesn't even go far enough. In fact, 294 00:15:28,240 --> 00:15:30,800 Speaker 1: your body is more like a rainforest, and each of 295 00:15:30,840 --> 00:15:34,440 Speaker 1: the thousands of bacterial species inside you is precisely built 296 00:15:34,480 --> 00:15:37,680 Speaker 1: for a specific environment. Like the bacteria and your stomach 297 00:15:37,760 --> 00:15:39,880 Speaker 1: would die if it moved to your small intestine, and 298 00:15:40,280 --> 00:15:43,160 Speaker 1: the small intestine stuff would struggle if it was placed 299 00:15:43,200 --> 00:15:46,640 Speaker 1: in the big intestine. Like, it's actually that complicated. As 300 00:15:46,680 --> 00:15:49,000 Speaker 1: one of my science writer friends told me, humans are 301 00:15:49,040 --> 00:15:52,600 Speaker 1: more closely related to C squirts than these microbacteria are 302 00:15:52,680 --> 00:15:55,720 Speaker 1: to one another. Yeah, And another way to think about 303 00:15:55,800 --> 00:15:58,040 Speaker 1: how diverse your body is is to like take a 304 00:15:58,080 --> 00:16:00,400 Speaker 1: look at your left hand in your right hand. Your 305 00:16:00,400 --> 00:16:02,640 Speaker 1: hands feel like they should be the same, right, but 306 00:16:02,960 --> 00:16:05,800 Speaker 1: of the thousands of bacteria on there, your left hand 307 00:16:05,840 --> 00:16:08,960 Speaker 1: and right hand might only share one in six microbial species. 308 00:16:09,360 --> 00:16:13,040 Speaker 1: Like how bizarre is that crazy? Right? So scientists are 309 00:16:13,120 --> 00:16:17,000 Speaker 1: isolating these microbes and understanding their superpowers. They're also considering 310 00:16:17,080 --> 00:16:19,760 Speaker 1: how to hack the bacteria and use it to human advantage. 311 00:16:19,960 --> 00:16:23,600 Speaker 1: Like in Sweden, doctors at a hospital noticed that their 312 00:16:23,640 --> 00:16:27,120 Speaker 1: pneumonia patients were getting infections from feeding tubes and the 313 00:16:27,160 --> 00:16:30,440 Speaker 1: patients were having a harsh reaction to the antibacterial sprays. 314 00:16:30,920 --> 00:16:34,160 Speaker 1: So the doctors looked at this bacteria in your saliva 315 00:16:34,320 --> 00:16:39,560 Speaker 1: called lacto basilious plantarum, and it's this probiotic that helps 316 00:16:39,600 --> 00:16:42,480 Speaker 1: you break down food in your saliva. And when they 317 00:16:42,520 --> 00:16:45,400 Speaker 1: spread the culture inside their patients mounts and on the 318 00:16:45,480 --> 00:16:49,480 Speaker 1: feeding tubes, it actually stopped the infections like no side effects. 319 00:16:50,080 --> 00:16:52,800 Speaker 1: So scientists have been using the Human Microbiome Project to 320 00:16:52,880 --> 00:16:56,080 Speaker 1: crack the code and map out all over microbiota. What 321 00:16:56,240 --> 00:16:59,120 Speaker 1: one crazy thing about microbiomes is that scientists used to 322 00:16:59,200 --> 00:17:01,400 Speaker 1: think that how bay bees were born might affect it, 323 00:17:01,600 --> 00:17:04,320 Speaker 1: like c sections. In particular, they thought might be creating 324 00:17:04,359 --> 00:17:07,400 Speaker 1: a different type and perhaps less healthy baby than straight 325 00:17:07,520 --> 00:17:10,480 Speaker 1: vaginal deliveries. But it turns out that isn't true. I 326 00:17:10,520 --> 00:17:13,800 Speaker 1: mean it's true initially, but by six weeks the differences 327 00:17:13,840 --> 00:17:16,960 Speaker 1: aren't even detectable, which is pretty crazy because kids aren't 328 00:17:16,960 --> 00:17:19,879 Speaker 1: crawling around then. But the colonies just grow so fast 329 00:17:19,960 --> 00:17:21,600 Speaker 1: in the mouth and on the skin and then the 330 00:17:21,680 --> 00:17:24,400 Speaker 1: gut that they don't need that much exposure to grow 331 00:17:24,520 --> 00:17:27,200 Speaker 1: these distinct colonies all over their bodies. I know, I 332 00:17:27,280 --> 00:17:30,400 Speaker 1: think if toddlers being dirty, but not really babies dirty babies. 333 00:17:31,359 --> 00:17:33,680 Speaker 1: But the lesson is, in general, it's healthiest to have 334 00:17:33,760 --> 00:17:36,600 Speaker 1: a wider range of microbes. So it's not quite true 335 00:17:36,640 --> 00:17:38,800 Speaker 1: to say that getting more infections as a child makes 336 00:17:38,920 --> 00:17:42,640 Speaker 1: us healthier later. It's really the exposure to different bacteria, 337 00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:46,359 Speaker 1: and almost exclusively exposure at a very early age. I mean, 338 00:17:46,400 --> 00:17:49,520 Speaker 1: we're talking before the age of three, that's when it's 339 00:17:49,560 --> 00:17:51,480 Speaker 1: pretty much set. I mean, you know, as my mom 340 00:17:51,600 --> 00:17:54,760 Speaker 1: used to say, once your microbiome is set, your microbiome 341 00:17:54,840 --> 00:17:57,440 Speaker 1: is set. She's right, you gotta set in forget it 342 00:17:58,000 --> 00:18:01,800 Speaker 1: like a firm, not like a or permanent. As my 343 00:18:01,840 --> 00:18:05,000 Speaker 1: grandfather would say. People still get perms. That a thing 344 00:18:05,160 --> 00:18:07,440 Speaker 1: they will now, So that means the bad news for 345 00:18:07,520 --> 00:18:09,879 Speaker 1: all those who were excited to start skipping your chores 346 00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:12,919 Speaker 1: and stop washing your hands and bathing. It doesn't mean 347 00:18:12,960 --> 00:18:16,359 Speaker 1: you should stop doing any of those things. Well, one shore, 348 00:18:16,520 --> 00:18:18,240 Speaker 1: I mean, I've read a bunch of these reports and 349 00:18:18,280 --> 00:18:20,840 Speaker 1: they all said the same thing. Don't make your bed. 350 00:18:21,520 --> 00:18:23,879 Speaker 1: And can I tell you one thing, sure, I hate 351 00:18:23,960 --> 00:18:26,760 Speaker 1: this advice so much, like making my bed is the 352 00:18:26,880 --> 00:18:29,359 Speaker 1: one thing I do. It makes my room look orderly. 353 00:18:29,560 --> 00:18:32,440 Speaker 1: But even though I hate saying this, an unmade bed 354 00:18:32,680 --> 00:18:35,479 Speaker 1: is healthier because it exposes the dust mites in your 355 00:18:35,520 --> 00:18:37,879 Speaker 1: bed sheets to sunlight and fresh air, which you know 356 00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:40,400 Speaker 1: kills them off and helps your allergies. Man, the kids 357 00:18:40,400 --> 00:18:43,080 Speaker 1: are going to really love this episode. So don't mother 358 00:18:43,240 --> 00:18:45,480 Speaker 1: making your bed. I'm behind that. But where should we 359 00:18:45,560 --> 00:18:49,399 Speaker 1: be cutting back? Now Here? A few places antibacterial soaps. 360 00:18:49,440 --> 00:18:51,440 Speaker 1: I mean, we've been seeing for a couple of decades 361 00:18:51,520 --> 00:18:53,760 Speaker 1: now that when we killed too much of the good bacteria, 362 00:18:53,840 --> 00:18:59,600 Speaker 1: the undesirable bacteria developing resistance to antibiotics, which could be dangerous. Also, 363 00:18:59,720 --> 00:19:03,119 Speaker 1: clean products indoor pollution from all the cleaning supplies and 364 00:19:03,200 --> 00:19:05,800 Speaker 1: chemicals in them. The most harmful ones are often the 365 00:19:05,880 --> 00:19:08,399 Speaker 1: ones being used just to produce a good smell, So 366 00:19:08,560 --> 00:19:11,400 Speaker 1: instead you should clean with things like vinegar and other 367 00:19:11,440 --> 00:19:14,040 Speaker 1: products that you'd feel comfortable cooking with. Yeah. So I 368 00:19:14,160 --> 00:19:16,320 Speaker 1: was actually looking into this because my family tries to 369 00:19:16,440 --> 00:19:19,200 Speaker 1: use mostly organic cleaning products for a kid's sake, And 370 00:19:19,280 --> 00:19:21,119 Speaker 1: when I was googling what you can do to reduce 371 00:19:21,200 --> 00:19:23,440 Speaker 1: the chemical sense in your home, one of the things 372 00:19:23,520 --> 00:19:26,040 Speaker 1: that comes up is a list of recommendations from NASA. 373 00:19:26,440 --> 00:19:29,440 Speaker 1: From NASA, Yeah, I just learned this, but every year 374 00:19:29,560 --> 00:19:32,080 Speaker 1: NASA issues a list of the best plants to help 375 00:19:32,160 --> 00:19:35,119 Speaker 1: purify your home, and they've been doing clear air studies 376 00:19:35,119 --> 00:19:37,640 Speaker 1: since the eighties because the agency wants to know what's 377 00:19:37,680 --> 00:19:39,800 Speaker 1: the best way to clean the air and space stations. 378 00:19:40,280 --> 00:19:42,760 Speaker 1: So this list of preferred plants as things like the 379 00:19:42,880 --> 00:19:46,880 Speaker 1: peace lily, which can eliminate traces of formaldehyde and benzene 380 00:19:46,880 --> 00:19:51,159 Speaker 1: and pneumonia. But it's also toxic to dogs, which is 381 00:19:51,280 --> 00:19:53,960 Speaker 1: kind of a big trade off, right, like peace dogs 382 00:19:54,080 --> 00:19:58,359 Speaker 1: between clear air and this plant. It's all plant. But 383 00:19:58,480 --> 00:20:00,600 Speaker 1: the crazier thing to me is this red inundation on 384 00:20:00,680 --> 00:20:03,120 Speaker 1: the ideal number of plants you should have in your house. 385 00:20:03,200 --> 00:20:05,080 Speaker 1: And can you guess what it is? I don't know. 386 00:20:05,240 --> 00:20:09,440 Speaker 1: Four it's one plant for a hundred square feet. Like 387 00:20:09,760 --> 00:20:12,440 Speaker 1: I live in a tiny, super small apartment with a 388 00:20:12,520 --> 00:20:14,640 Speaker 1: wife and two kids, and now I have to share 389 00:20:14,640 --> 00:20:17,320 Speaker 1: it with a tiny forest, like just to breathe the air. 390 00:20:17,600 --> 00:20:19,320 Speaker 1: I mean, you gotta do what you gotta do. That's 391 00:20:20,160 --> 00:20:22,679 Speaker 1: so speaking of our homes and finding that perfect balance 392 00:20:22,720 --> 00:20:27,240 Speaker 1: of clean, Penny Sarchet describes a science approved hygiene sweet spot, 393 00:20:27,640 --> 00:20:30,440 Speaker 1: So that is, you're not looking to completely sterilize your home. 394 00:20:30,520 --> 00:20:33,320 Speaker 1: It's more about focusing on getting rid of harmful bacteria 395 00:20:33,359 --> 00:20:36,320 Speaker 1: in places. This bacteria is most likely to be in 396 00:20:36,440 --> 00:20:40,200 Speaker 1: places we come into contact with, so kitchen surfaces, door knobs, 397 00:20:40,240 --> 00:20:43,560 Speaker 1: bathroom light switches. But as long as we're talking about Penny, 398 00:20:43,600 --> 00:20:44,800 Speaker 1: what do you say? We get around the phone and 399 00:20:44,800 --> 00:20:54,879 Speaker 1: give her a little quiz and that sounds great. All right, 400 00:20:54,920 --> 00:20:57,040 Speaker 1: So we've been talking about new scientists a lot and 401 00:20:57,080 --> 00:20:59,280 Speaker 1: how much we love new scientists. And you know how 402 00:20:59,359 --> 00:21:03,359 Speaker 1: excited I because we have a biomedical news editor joining 403 00:21:03,400 --> 00:21:06,480 Speaker 1: us today, Penny Sarsha. She's going to uh talk to 404 00:21:06,640 --> 00:21:08,680 Speaker 1: us about her article and a few other questions that 405 00:21:08,760 --> 00:21:12,200 Speaker 1: we have, but also to play one of your ridiculous games. 406 00:21:12,320 --> 00:21:14,520 Speaker 1: She may regret this visit. What's the game we're gonna 407 00:21:14,520 --> 00:21:17,840 Speaker 1: be playing? Not so dirty words? Okay? All right, well 408 00:21:17,880 --> 00:21:21,040 Speaker 1: we'll find out more about that in a bit. But Penny, 409 00:21:21,119 --> 00:21:23,800 Speaker 1: welcome to Part Time Genius. Hi. Thank you so much 410 00:21:23,840 --> 00:21:26,040 Speaker 1: for writing the story and for joining us. I I 411 00:21:26,240 --> 00:21:28,480 Speaker 1: do have to start up by asking you about this 412 00:21:28,640 --> 00:21:30,960 Speaker 1: quote that, to be honest, kind of made me feel 413 00:21:31,040 --> 00:21:32,880 Speaker 1: nauseous when I read it. So you were talking about 414 00:21:32,920 --> 00:21:36,040 Speaker 1: a two thousand fourteen paper that found that children are 415 00:21:36,119 --> 00:21:39,760 Speaker 1: less likely to develop asthma or precursors DASM. I guess 416 00:21:39,800 --> 00:21:42,480 Speaker 1: you said in their first year if they're exposed to 417 00:21:42,640 --> 00:21:47,000 Speaker 1: particles from cats, mice, and cockroaches. What do we do? 418 00:21:47,119 --> 00:21:49,280 Speaker 1: What do we do about this? Penny? I know it's 419 00:21:49,320 --> 00:21:52,240 Speaker 1: really grand, isn't it. I think the difficult thing is 420 00:21:52,480 --> 00:21:55,879 Speaker 1: you can measure these things and find me association, but 421 00:21:56,000 --> 00:21:59,280 Speaker 1: working out like the coolisation and what that actually means, 422 00:21:59,440 --> 00:22:03,320 Speaker 1: like is a cockroach particle good for a child. It's 423 00:22:03,440 --> 00:22:06,160 Speaker 1: an entirely different experiment and one that you're not ever 424 00:22:06,280 --> 00:22:09,520 Speaker 1: going to do, so I wouldn't aim to have a 425 00:22:09,600 --> 00:22:12,200 Speaker 1: stiff be home, But I think the best way to 426 00:22:12,280 --> 00:22:15,000 Speaker 1: see that kind of thing is more an indication that 427 00:22:15,160 --> 00:22:17,760 Speaker 1: it's not as simple as let's just be dirty or 428 00:22:17,840 --> 00:22:20,200 Speaker 1: let's just be clean. And I think some of the 429 00:22:20,840 --> 00:22:24,040 Speaker 1: further research that I did after coming across that paper 430 00:22:24,600 --> 00:22:27,000 Speaker 1: kind of suggested that these things, like the fact that 431 00:22:27,119 --> 00:22:29,879 Speaker 1: you were exposed to cat hair, also meant you were 432 00:22:29,920 --> 00:22:33,159 Speaker 1: probably exposed to other things related to the cat. So 433 00:22:33,320 --> 00:22:35,840 Speaker 1: it might not be in the cat hair or even 434 00:22:35,880 --> 00:22:38,360 Speaker 1: the cat fe sees that you may have come into 435 00:22:38,440 --> 00:22:40,560 Speaker 1: contact with. It's the fact that the cat might have 436 00:22:40,680 --> 00:22:44,119 Speaker 1: been bringing soil into your home, for example, and perhaps 437 00:22:44,160 --> 00:22:47,040 Speaker 1: some of the bacterian soil are really good for preventing 438 00:22:47,119 --> 00:22:49,960 Speaker 1: asma and young infants. But it's just it came out 439 00:22:50,080 --> 00:22:53,280 Speaker 1: as this quite disgusting correlation in the study. Yeah, I'm 440 00:22:53,280 --> 00:22:56,080 Speaker 1: glad to know that it's not necessarily the cat feces 441 00:22:56,160 --> 00:22:59,920 Speaker 1: that you said, that's that's like that. So, Kenny, I 442 00:23:00,080 --> 00:23:01,840 Speaker 1: thought you did a really nice job of describing a 443 00:23:02,040 --> 00:23:04,720 Speaker 1: clean sweet spot in your article, and I was just 444 00:23:04,840 --> 00:23:07,280 Speaker 1: curious if you could just describe that for our listeners 445 00:23:07,280 --> 00:23:10,600 Speaker 1: a little bit. Yeah, it's quite helpful for me too. Um. 446 00:23:11,240 --> 00:23:14,480 Speaker 1: So it's basically almost like a priority system. So you 447 00:23:14,520 --> 00:23:18,800 Speaker 1: should really focus on being clean at the most important 448 00:23:19,720 --> 00:23:22,000 Speaker 1: sites and places in your home and at the most 449 00:23:22,040 --> 00:23:26,760 Speaker 1: important times, and that stops you from spreading infection and 450 00:23:26,840 --> 00:23:29,119 Speaker 1: getting sick. But it also means you're not spending your 451 00:23:29,280 --> 00:23:32,959 Speaker 1: entire life needlessly cleaning your home from top to bottom. 452 00:23:33,480 --> 00:23:37,320 Speaker 1: So the places we're talking about, you know, certaining kitchen 453 00:23:37,440 --> 00:23:41,399 Speaker 1: sstaces and cooking, but also in the touch points, so 454 00:23:42,440 --> 00:23:46,200 Speaker 1: light switches, doorn or like taps as well, and just 455 00:23:46,320 --> 00:23:48,960 Speaker 1: things that you touch a lot, and you might pass 456 00:23:49,000 --> 00:23:51,520 Speaker 1: things onto who you're living with. And then in terms 457 00:23:51,560 --> 00:23:54,280 Speaker 1: of times, it's obviously when you go to the bathroom 458 00:23:54,840 --> 00:23:57,320 Speaker 1: and when you're cooking and when you're eating, but also 459 00:23:57,680 --> 00:23:59,680 Speaker 1: if someone is sick in the house, you might want 460 00:23:59,760 --> 00:24:02,640 Speaker 1: to be unpup how clean you are and how often 461 00:24:02,720 --> 00:24:06,000 Speaker 1: you've clean down these touch points, because if someone in 462 00:24:06,080 --> 00:24:09,240 Speaker 1: your family has noura virus and it's growing up regularly, 463 00:24:09,600 --> 00:24:12,119 Speaker 1: you're obviously at much higher risk of spreading things around 464 00:24:12,119 --> 00:24:15,040 Speaker 1: the home and the family. Then say, you know, you've 465 00:24:15,080 --> 00:24:17,400 Speaker 1: got a clean bill of health and no one's obviously ill. 466 00:24:17,800 --> 00:24:21,440 Speaker 1: The whole study around the microbiome is just so fascinating, 467 00:24:21,600 --> 00:24:24,800 Speaker 1: and it feels like we're still so early and understanding 468 00:24:25,240 --> 00:24:28,400 Speaker 1: the microbiome. What what kinds of things are you guys 469 00:24:28,520 --> 00:24:30,960 Speaker 1: thinking about it new scientists right now, or things you 470 00:24:31,040 --> 00:24:33,359 Speaker 1: think will be able to better treat as we as 471 00:24:33,440 --> 00:24:36,400 Speaker 1: we better understand the microbiome. Well, So it's so difficult 472 00:24:36,440 --> 00:24:39,920 Speaker 1: to know because there's just endless conditions that seem to 473 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:43,080 Speaker 1: be linked in some way to the microbiome, like everything 474 00:24:43,160 --> 00:24:46,840 Speaker 1: from Albioman's to obesity, and we're still really only sort 475 00:24:46,880 --> 00:24:49,960 Speaker 1: of unraveling those links, and we're still quite a long 476 00:24:50,040 --> 00:24:53,880 Speaker 1: way from working out how usefully we can use this um. 477 00:24:54,480 --> 00:24:57,520 Speaker 1: But I haven't stopped lots of people from already developing 478 00:24:57,640 --> 00:25:01,159 Speaker 1: like sprays and treatment and all kinds of things you 479 00:25:01,200 --> 00:25:04,399 Speaker 1: can buy online to kind of change the bacteria and 480 00:25:04,480 --> 00:25:07,560 Speaker 1: your skin or in your gut, And we don't really 481 00:25:07,600 --> 00:25:10,719 Speaker 1: know whether there's work yet and if so, how there 482 00:25:10,800 --> 00:25:13,200 Speaker 1: are a few things we know. So in some places, 483 00:25:13,400 --> 00:25:16,480 Speaker 1: fecal transplant, so that really is just a transplant of 484 00:25:16,560 --> 00:25:20,719 Speaker 1: pooh is allowed or has been approved of the treatment 485 00:25:21,160 --> 00:25:25,040 Speaker 1: for se differentials, which is a bacterial infection that is 486 00:25:25,119 --> 00:25:27,320 Speaker 1: really difficult to get rid of once you've got it. 487 00:25:27,560 --> 00:25:30,440 Speaker 1: So that's kind of they're quite a landmark in that 488 00:25:30,560 --> 00:25:33,040 Speaker 1: respect that it's actually being used as a treatment there. 489 00:25:33,560 --> 00:25:35,720 Speaker 1: But there are people out there who are just going 490 00:25:35,760 --> 00:25:41,080 Speaker 1: ahead and doing transplants of pooh themselves in an unregulated way, 491 00:25:41,240 --> 00:25:44,040 Speaker 1: and from some kinds of studies like this, there are 492 00:25:44,200 --> 00:25:47,119 Speaker 1: kind of early anctotes and warning signs that this is 493 00:25:47,440 --> 00:25:50,280 Speaker 1: obviously much more complex than we really know yet because 494 00:25:50,320 --> 00:25:52,680 Speaker 1: there's so many species of bacteria and we don't know 495 00:25:52,760 --> 00:25:56,240 Speaker 1: what they're doing. Um, so there's some evidence that maybe 496 00:25:56,800 --> 00:26:00,080 Speaker 1: if you were to receive the transplant from someone you 497 00:26:00,400 --> 00:26:03,160 Speaker 1: is a beast, that might actually make you more likely 498 00:26:03,280 --> 00:26:06,600 Speaker 1: to become a beast, and these kinds of interesting effects 499 00:26:06,640 --> 00:26:09,280 Speaker 1: that start happening when you play around with your microbiome. 500 00:26:09,680 --> 00:26:11,720 Speaker 1: So yeah, it's really any days. And the other thing 501 00:26:11,800 --> 00:26:14,399 Speaker 1: we don't really know is beyond something drastic like if 502 00:26:14,440 --> 00:26:18,280 Speaker 1: people transplant, can you really even change your microbiome beyond 503 00:26:18,680 --> 00:26:22,280 Speaker 1: beyond the age of about three. Maybe you're obviously go 504 00:26:22,480 --> 00:26:24,840 Speaker 1: through a lot of changes this first few years of life. 505 00:26:25,200 --> 00:26:28,480 Speaker 1: But once your body has been colonized by whichever bacteria 506 00:26:28,800 --> 00:26:31,159 Speaker 1: come on in, can you really kind of shift it 507 00:26:31,520 --> 00:26:34,639 Speaker 1: much more in a healthier or less healthy direction. We 508 00:26:34,920 --> 00:26:37,080 Speaker 1: don't really know that yet, you know. One thing I 509 00:26:37,200 --> 00:26:40,320 Speaker 1: was curious about was whether your behavior has changed since 510 00:26:40,359 --> 00:26:42,680 Speaker 1: working on this article, Like, when was the last time 511 00:26:42,680 --> 00:26:45,639 Speaker 1: you wash your hands? Yeah, I'm still a fan of 512 00:26:45,680 --> 00:26:49,800 Speaker 1: washing my hands. I did the toilet before speaking to you, 513 00:26:50,040 --> 00:26:53,920 Speaker 1: so they're very keen right now. But yeah, handslessing, I 514 00:26:54,080 --> 00:26:56,359 Speaker 1: haven't changed. I was hoping actually for an excuse to 515 00:26:56,440 --> 00:26:59,400 Speaker 1: wash my hands left being a clean freak, but actually 516 00:26:59,600 --> 00:27:02,879 Speaker 1: speaking into the food hygiene and home hygiene experts who 517 00:27:02,960 --> 00:27:05,880 Speaker 1: are telling me about how many people get food poisoning 518 00:27:05,960 --> 00:27:08,440 Speaker 1: in their homes every year, that actually gave me no 519 00:27:08,560 --> 00:27:11,399 Speaker 1: excuse to cut back at all. But we've got a 520 00:27:11,480 --> 00:27:13,520 Speaker 1: garden flat that we're in and out all the time 521 00:27:13,600 --> 00:27:16,480 Speaker 1: with bikes and plants and things, and so much of 522 00:27:17,240 --> 00:27:19,399 Speaker 1: what I'm speaking to some of the people about soil 523 00:27:19,520 --> 00:27:22,919 Speaker 1: and dirt and just being outside. I'm a lot more relaxed. Now, 524 00:27:23,040 --> 00:27:25,639 Speaker 1: if we kind of walk soil in just sweep at 525 00:27:25,720 --> 00:27:27,960 Speaker 1: us and they need to kind of really thoroughly clean 526 00:27:28,040 --> 00:27:31,000 Speaker 1: the floor or anything like that. Um, I think the 527 00:27:31,080 --> 00:27:33,119 Speaker 1: only thing there that would be really wearing was if 528 00:27:33,160 --> 00:27:35,200 Speaker 1: we had a baby that was cooling around and licking 529 00:27:35,280 --> 00:27:37,040 Speaker 1: the floor. If they want to do that would be 530 00:27:37,080 --> 00:27:40,160 Speaker 1: slightly mooring, but that's not what I do. All right, Well, 531 00:27:40,240 --> 00:27:42,879 Speaker 1: thank you for talking about how to be clean, and 532 00:27:43,119 --> 00:27:44,720 Speaker 1: we want to put you to the test if you're 533 00:27:44,720 --> 00:27:46,760 Speaker 1: willing to stick around and play a game of what 534 00:27:46,840 --> 00:27:49,040 Speaker 1: did you say? The game was called it's called Not 535 00:27:49,280 --> 00:27:52,560 Speaker 1: So Dirty Words, and it's a game we expressly wrote 536 00:27:52,640 --> 00:27:55,560 Speaker 1: for you since you're a clean expert. Here's how it works. 537 00:27:55,640 --> 00:27:58,760 Speaker 1: We're going to take one word that sounds dirty and 538 00:27:58,880 --> 00:28:01,520 Speaker 1: give you two definition and all you have to do 539 00:28:01,800 --> 00:28:03,959 Speaker 1: is tell us which one is the real one. Does 540 00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:08,320 Speaker 1: that make sense? Yeah? Alright, here we go. Word number 541 00:28:08,600 --> 00:28:13,719 Speaker 1: one is formication. That's not with an inn but an 542 00:28:13,920 --> 00:28:18,000 Speaker 1: M as in Michael. Formication. Does it mean a a 543 00:28:18,119 --> 00:28:22,240 Speaker 1: sensation like insects crawling on your skin? Or be the 544 00:28:22,359 --> 00:28:25,040 Speaker 1: word veterinarians used for the tartar build up on a 545 00:28:25,160 --> 00:28:30,320 Speaker 1: goat's teeth. Formication, that's a tough one. I think I'm 546 00:28:30,359 --> 00:28:34,359 Speaker 1: going to go with a formication insects because of maybe 547 00:28:34,840 --> 00:28:39,360 Speaker 1: you're absolutely absolutely she's all on also an insects expert. Alright, 548 00:28:39,400 --> 00:28:41,280 Speaker 1: this is a number two. This is where did you 549 00:28:41,360 --> 00:28:46,080 Speaker 1: find these mango? This is ridiculous? Alright? Number two? Did 550 00:28:46,120 --> 00:28:48,160 Speaker 1: you make this up? Is this a real thing? Okay? 551 00:28:48,520 --> 00:28:54,280 Speaker 1: Tortis maximus okay is Trtis maximus a broad shield volcano 552 00:28:54,440 --> 00:28:58,360 Speaker 1: that forms in the middle of oceanic plates, or the 553 00:28:58,520 --> 00:29:01,920 Speaker 1: Latin name for the Tibetan blackbird found in the Himalayas 554 00:29:02,040 --> 00:29:07,040 Speaker 1: in Pakistan. Tortois maximus. Is it a volcano or a blackbird? 555 00:29:08,120 --> 00:29:10,680 Speaker 1: I'd like to think if it was a bird it 556 00:29:10,760 --> 00:29:13,440 Speaker 1: would sound for more familiar, although I can't remember what 557 00:29:13,560 --> 00:29:16,920 Speaker 1: blackbird is right now. I'm going to go with a volcano. 558 00:29:18,360 --> 00:29:21,840 Speaker 1: It's it's actually the blackbird. It's a member of the 559 00:29:21,920 --> 00:29:24,440 Speaker 1: thrush family. Oh, of course, if we had just given 560 00:29:24,480 --> 00:29:25,800 Speaker 1: her that hand that it was a member of the 561 00:29:25,880 --> 00:29:32,920 Speaker 1: thrush family, nailed it. So Number three. Our soul spelled 562 00:29:33,120 --> 00:29:36,800 Speaker 1: a R. S O l e is our soul, a 563 00:29:37,280 --> 00:29:41,760 Speaker 1: Hawaiian term for meat harvested from the tender coconut, or 564 00:29:41,920 --> 00:29:46,200 Speaker 1: be a ring shaped arsenic based organic compound. Is it 565 00:29:46,280 --> 00:29:48,680 Speaker 1: a word for the meat harvested from the tender coconut 566 00:29:49,080 --> 00:29:52,560 Speaker 1: or a ring shaped arsenic based organic compound. I can't 567 00:29:52,600 --> 00:29:54,880 Speaker 1: tell if it's a red herring or not, but as 568 00:29:55,320 --> 00:30:01,440 Speaker 1: surely yes, well done, Okay, let's do I'm just having 569 00:30:01,440 --> 00:30:03,240 Speaker 1: too much fun. Let's let's keep going, all right, the 570 00:30:03,360 --> 00:30:06,680 Speaker 1: next one fartlick f A R T L e K. 571 00:30:07,040 --> 00:30:09,080 Speaker 1: You can use these words in your articles in the future, 572 00:30:09,120 --> 00:30:13,200 Speaker 1: by the way, Penny, they're good ones, all right. Is 573 00:30:13,240 --> 00:30:16,920 Speaker 1: a fart like a Swedish method for training distance runners 574 00:30:17,000 --> 00:30:20,920 Speaker 1: by varying pace and terrain, or be a small species 575 00:30:20,960 --> 00:30:26,600 Speaker 1: of antelope closely related to the dicticum I'm gonna go 576 00:30:26,680 --> 00:30:33,880 Speaker 1: with tonight. Sound like they should be related, alright, but 577 00:30:33,960 --> 00:30:36,720 Speaker 1: it's actually a Swedish distance training that she needs to 578 00:30:36,760 --> 00:30:39,120 Speaker 1: get three correct to to win the big prize. So 579 00:30:39,240 --> 00:30:42,360 Speaker 1: let's do one more. Sac butt s A C K 580 00:30:43,000 --> 00:30:47,120 Speaker 1: hyphen butt alright, alright, here we go. Is it a 581 00:30:47,840 --> 00:30:51,800 Speaker 1: the fourteenth century ancestor of the modern trombones, sometimes called 582 00:30:51,960 --> 00:30:55,280 Speaker 1: a sag butt, or be a Viking table used for 583 00:30:55,440 --> 00:31:03,000 Speaker 1: formal banquets. It is well, you did what what? What 584 00:31:03,240 --> 00:31:07,720 Speaker 1: does she want? Mango? Well, she's allegible for our top prize, 585 00:31:07,840 --> 00:31:13,800 Speaker 1: which is our endless admiration. Oh my god. Congratulations Penny. Well, Penny, 586 00:31:13,920 --> 00:31:16,280 Speaker 1: keep up the great work. We remain huge fans of 587 00:31:16,360 --> 00:31:18,320 Speaker 1: new scientists. Thanks so much for joining us, and we 588 00:31:18,400 --> 00:31:21,800 Speaker 1: hope to talk to you again. Thanks very much. Thanks 589 00:31:21,840 --> 00:31:39,760 Speaker 1: by Welcome back to part time Genius. So before the break, 590 00:31:39,800 --> 00:31:42,960 Speaker 1: Penny Sarche was chatting about the hygiene sweet spot, that 591 00:31:43,120 --> 00:31:45,640 Speaker 1: is keeping your house clean but not too clean. It's 592 00:31:45,680 --> 00:31:48,920 Speaker 1: kind of a Guildylocks approach exactly. Since I wanted to 593 00:31:49,000 --> 00:31:51,360 Speaker 1: know what to watch out for, I got curious about 594 00:31:51,400 --> 00:31:53,720 Speaker 1: the dirtiest places. And here are a few things I 595 00:31:53,800 --> 00:31:57,200 Speaker 1: found so at home. The walls around your toilet, you know, 596 00:31:57,280 --> 00:31:59,520 Speaker 1: you just kind of imagine it's the toilet, and it's 597 00:31:59,520 --> 00:32:02,640 Speaker 1: actually the falls around our toilet. The kitchen sponge, the 598 00:32:02,760 --> 00:32:06,800 Speaker 1: kitchen sink drain, the cutting board is a really nasty one. 599 00:32:07,360 --> 00:32:10,400 Speaker 1: That toothbrush cup where everybody keeps their toothbrushes. So some 600 00:32:10,520 --> 00:32:13,160 Speaker 1: of these places that you don't immediately think about. And 601 00:32:13,320 --> 00:32:17,080 Speaker 1: one of the huge ones the remote control. Now in hotels, 602 00:32:17,160 --> 00:32:20,280 Speaker 1: two of the nastiest places are the remote control, which, 603 00:32:20,320 --> 00:32:22,120 Speaker 1: of course you'll no longer have to deal with thanks 604 00:32:22,160 --> 00:32:25,400 Speaker 1: to our patented part time genius remote control condoms. You 605 00:32:25,440 --> 00:32:29,640 Speaker 1: should see these on shelf soon and the bedside lamp switch. 606 00:32:29,840 --> 00:32:31,960 Speaker 1: I never would have guessed the lamp switch me either. 607 00:32:32,080 --> 00:32:34,440 Speaker 1: So what about airplanes? What do you think is consistently 608 00:32:34,520 --> 00:32:37,520 Speaker 1: the dirtiest place on a plane that twisty thing you 609 00:32:37,640 --> 00:32:40,240 Speaker 1: put to turn to put on the air or maybe 610 00:32:40,320 --> 00:32:43,280 Speaker 1: the drinks page with the airline magazine. That's say, that's 611 00:32:43,320 --> 00:32:47,000 Speaker 1: a pretty specific page, and I'm guessing it's not clean. 612 00:32:47,160 --> 00:32:50,120 Speaker 1: But the number one dirtiest thing in some studies by 613 00:32:50,200 --> 00:32:54,520 Speaker 1: surprisingly significant margin, seems to be the tray table. But yeah, 614 00:32:54,800 --> 00:32:57,080 Speaker 1: disgusting if you think about it. People are using it constantly, 615 00:32:57,160 --> 00:32:59,160 Speaker 1: folding it up and it may not get clean. And 616 00:32:59,240 --> 00:33:01,320 Speaker 1: let's get back to the idea of good bacteria. This 617 00:33:01,480 --> 00:33:03,600 Speaker 1: is something we all hear more and more about these 618 00:33:03,680 --> 00:33:08,440 Speaker 1: days because of probiotics, varieties of yogurt, and the grocery store. 619 00:33:08,840 --> 00:33:10,920 Speaker 1: As a side note here, recently I saw a list 620 00:33:10,960 --> 00:33:13,000 Speaker 1: of the ways you can annoy people in your office, 621 00:33:13,040 --> 00:33:14,960 Speaker 1: and number one on that list of ways was to 622 00:33:15,560 --> 00:33:18,760 Speaker 1: stand behind a coworker with a cup of that fruit 623 00:33:18,840 --> 00:33:22,000 Speaker 1: on the bottom yogurt and just stir it up. That 624 00:33:22,160 --> 00:33:26,200 Speaker 1: that sounds, do you make that list? Make that list 625 00:33:26,280 --> 00:33:29,160 Speaker 1: on the author of that list. So there's definitely a 626 00:33:29,160 --> 00:33:31,640 Speaker 1: lot to talk about with probiotics. And that's because the 627 00:33:31,720 --> 00:33:35,080 Speaker 1: gut flora is really important. And it's important because it 628 00:33:35,160 --> 00:33:37,520 Speaker 1: keeps you regular, like you don't want to be constated. 629 00:33:37,960 --> 00:33:41,040 Speaker 1: But the thousand different bacteria and there also have a 630 00:33:41,120 --> 00:33:44,240 Speaker 1: direct impact on your brain, and studies have shown strong 631 00:33:44,320 --> 00:33:48,400 Speaker 1: links between anxiety, depression, even autism, and it's all linked 632 00:33:48,400 --> 00:33:51,280 Speaker 1: to your gut flora. But and here's the important part, 633 00:33:51,760 --> 00:33:54,600 Speaker 1: what you put in their matters. Like in two thousand thirteen, 634 00:33:54,840 --> 00:33:58,200 Speaker 1: the medical journal gastro and Trology published a paper where 635 00:33:58,240 --> 00:34:01,520 Speaker 1: women ate yogurt twice a day and the probiotics changed 636 00:34:01,560 --> 00:34:04,120 Speaker 1: the makeup of their gut flora and actually made them 637 00:34:04,240 --> 00:34:08,040 Speaker 1: calmer and happier under stress tests. That's fascinating. Now, speaking 638 00:34:08,080 --> 00:34:10,080 Speaker 1: of things we eat, it reminded me of what might 639 00:34:10,160 --> 00:34:12,320 Speaker 1: be too clean. And I've got to tell you, I 640 00:34:12,480 --> 00:34:17,279 Speaker 1: was thirty seven years old before I ever washed a banana. Banana, yep, 641 00:34:18,160 --> 00:34:20,240 Speaker 1: why would you wash one? So one of my daughter's 642 00:34:20,320 --> 00:34:22,800 Speaker 1: friends refused to eat a banana from our house until 643 00:34:22,840 --> 00:34:25,840 Speaker 1: I washed it, because she said, my mom always washes 644 00:34:25,920 --> 00:34:29,600 Speaker 1: my banana. Well, if you're recommending it, I guess we should. 645 00:34:29,760 --> 00:34:32,799 Speaker 1: But let's answer the question of how clean is too clean? 646 00:34:33,239 --> 00:34:36,239 Speaker 1: Obviously you should keep washing those hands and bananas and 647 00:34:36,360 --> 00:34:38,800 Speaker 1: pay attention to the dirty stereas of your house, the 648 00:34:38,880 --> 00:34:40,840 Speaker 1: things we touch a lot, like the light switches and 649 00:34:40,920 --> 00:34:43,600 Speaker 1: remote controls and cutting boards. But also, what's the best 650 00:34:43,640 --> 00:34:45,760 Speaker 1: thing you can do to expose yourself to a wider 651 00:34:45,880 --> 00:34:49,520 Speaker 1: variety of good bacteria. It's to spend more time outside, which, 652 00:34:49,560 --> 00:34:51,800 Speaker 1: of course we're recommending from a room with no windows. 653 00:34:52,440 --> 00:34:54,560 Speaker 1: I love it, speaking of things, I love. You know 654 00:34:54,640 --> 00:34:56,560 Speaker 1: what time it is, Well, yep, it's time for the 655 00:34:56,640 --> 00:34:58,520 Speaker 1: fact off, where we share all the things we learned 656 00:34:58,560 --> 00:35:00,400 Speaker 1: this week that we didn't get a chance to mentioned. 657 00:35:00,520 --> 00:35:02,759 Speaker 1: But before we do that, we should probably give out 658 00:35:02,760 --> 00:35:05,200 Speaker 1: our genius Award. Who do you think deserves that honor today? 659 00:35:05,360 --> 00:35:07,680 Speaker 1: I think we've got to give it to miss Goldie Lippman, 660 00:35:07,719 --> 00:35:09,480 Speaker 1: who came up with the idea of go Joe the 661 00:35:09,600 --> 00:35:11,879 Speaker 1: pre pure l. I agree. I mean she passed away 662 00:35:11,920 --> 00:35:13,400 Speaker 1: in the seventies, but we're going to add it to 663 00:35:13,440 --> 00:35:15,799 Speaker 1: our Hall of Genius and send the company a certificate 664 00:35:16,080 --> 00:35:20,080 Speaker 1: that they could hang on their office bulletin board. So congratulations, Goldie. 665 00:35:20,320 --> 00:35:31,000 Speaker 1: I'm for that. But back back to the fact off MS. 666 00:35:31,040 --> 00:35:32,479 Speaker 1: We like to say on the part of north central 667 00:35:32,520 --> 00:35:37,239 Speaker 1: Alabama where I grew up, you first, So here's a 668 00:35:37,320 --> 00:35:40,080 Speaker 1: fact for you. There's a guy named Jasper Lawrence who 669 00:35:40,120 --> 00:35:43,320 Speaker 1: had severe allergies, like his eyes would swell up to 670 00:35:43,400 --> 00:35:46,360 Speaker 1: the point where he couldn't see. He had intense trouble breathing, 671 00:35:46,680 --> 00:35:48,239 Speaker 1: and he decided the only way he could get his 672 00:35:48,320 --> 00:35:51,280 Speaker 1: body to stop attacking itself was to give it something 673 00:35:51,320 --> 00:35:54,040 Speaker 1: to attack. So, and this is the part I love. 674 00:35:54,440 --> 00:35:58,160 Speaker 1: He went to Cameroon and he intentionally walked around barefoot 675 00:35:58,200 --> 00:36:00,800 Speaker 1: in areas where people went to the bathroom, I know, 676 00:36:01,080 --> 00:36:04,520 Speaker 1: and the reason was to give himself hookworm. And then 677 00:36:04,719 --> 00:36:07,880 Speaker 1: he started this internet business selling hookworms to relieve people 678 00:36:08,000 --> 00:36:11,600 Speaker 1: with crones and other autoimmune disorders, which may actually work 679 00:36:11,719 --> 00:36:13,600 Speaker 1: but comes with all sorts of f d A and 680 00:36:13,719 --> 00:36:17,120 Speaker 1: postal service complications. I like to imagine the conversation where 681 00:36:17,160 --> 00:36:19,279 Speaker 1: he's like, honey, I tried the flown as it didn't work, 682 00:36:19,360 --> 00:36:22,320 Speaker 1: So I'm gonna move on to hookworms. So there's a 683 00:36:22,360 --> 00:36:26,640 Speaker 1: psychologist from Cornell, David Pizzarro, who studies the notion of disgust. 684 00:36:27,120 --> 00:36:29,600 Speaker 1: And in one of his experiments, he had students fill 685 00:36:29,640 --> 00:36:32,560 Speaker 1: out a survey on their political beliefs. And most of 686 00:36:32,600 --> 00:36:35,000 Speaker 1: them were just filling out surveys in a crowded hallway. 687 00:36:35,480 --> 00:36:38,000 Speaker 1: But then he relocated a few of the groups next 688 00:36:38,040 --> 00:36:41,640 Speaker 1: to a hand sanitizer dispenser, and when he did, those 689 00:36:41,680 --> 00:36:45,200 Speaker 1: groups reportedly came back more conservative. And he found this 690 00:36:45,400 --> 00:36:48,160 Speaker 1: over and over in studies, whether it was signs about 691 00:36:48,200 --> 00:36:52,520 Speaker 1: washing hands, or sanitizer or the presence of handwipes. Wherever 692 00:36:52,680 --> 00:36:55,439 Speaker 1: there was a subtle reminder of physical purity, it made 693 00:36:55,480 --> 00:36:58,560 Speaker 1: a respondent more conservative than they might have otherwise been. 694 00:36:58,840 --> 00:37:02,360 Speaker 1: That's crazy. So remember how we Inhale fifty to sixty 695 00:37:02,400 --> 00:37:04,800 Speaker 1: milligrams of dirt today. So one of the things I 696 00:37:04,880 --> 00:37:07,960 Speaker 1: love is that the Japanese government has been organizing these 697 00:37:08,000 --> 00:37:11,040 Speaker 1: things called forest baths. That's what they're called. And forest 698 00:37:11,040 --> 00:37:14,520 Speaker 1: baths are basically guided tours on destressing. A guide will 699 00:37:14,760 --> 00:37:17,000 Speaker 1: teach you how to break open the twin of sassafras. 700 00:37:17,040 --> 00:37:20,640 Speaker 1: And Inhale and appreciate nature and generally be more mindful. 701 00:37:20,920 --> 00:37:23,000 Speaker 1: And part of it is just reminding people how easy 702 00:37:23,040 --> 00:37:25,640 Speaker 1: it is to get in nature preserves. But I kind 703 00:37:25,640 --> 00:37:27,560 Speaker 1: of love this idea that if you're going to inhale 704 00:37:27,600 --> 00:37:30,280 Speaker 1: fifty milligrams of dirt today, let's pick where that dirt's 705 00:37:30,320 --> 00:37:32,839 Speaker 1: coming from. Okay, I like that idea too. I've got 706 00:37:32,880 --> 00:37:36,120 Speaker 1: another one here, IBM processed water. Have you heard of this? 707 00:37:36,800 --> 00:37:38,800 Speaker 1: So one of the weird things is that instead of 708 00:37:38,920 --> 00:37:42,440 Speaker 1: using solutions to clean their chips, IBM actually uses this 709 00:37:42,640 --> 00:37:46,279 Speaker 1: ultra pure water, that's what it's called. They process their 710 00:37:46,280 --> 00:37:49,239 Speaker 1: water so many times, over fourteen times that it has 711 00:37:49,360 --> 00:37:52,480 Speaker 1: no specks of dirt or particles, so that it doesn't 712 00:37:52,560 --> 00:37:55,080 Speaker 1: scratch the chip. But the same thing that makes it 713 00:37:55,160 --> 00:37:58,120 Speaker 1: great for cleaning also makes it harmful for the body. 714 00:37:58,520 --> 00:38:01,360 Speaker 1: So like in its truest form, water will leach nutrients 715 00:38:01,440 --> 00:38:04,160 Speaker 1: toward it from other substances, and so even though it's 716 00:38:04,239 --> 00:38:08,120 Speaker 1: really really ultra pure, it's actually too clean to drink, 717 00:38:08,560 --> 00:38:12,200 Speaker 1: Like drinking will actually hurt your body. That's crazy. So 718 00:38:12,480 --> 00:38:14,960 Speaker 1: there's a great Sean Bradley story that I promised relates. 719 00:38:15,120 --> 00:38:17,400 Speaker 1: This is Sean Bradley, the basketball player. Yeah, and and 720 00:38:17,520 --> 00:38:19,279 Speaker 1: so esco, I asked him what it feels like to 721 00:38:19,360 --> 00:38:22,600 Speaker 1: be seven ft six, and you just generally feel miserable 722 00:38:22,680 --> 00:38:25,040 Speaker 1: for the guy and his answers like he can't buy 723 00:38:25,120 --> 00:38:27,680 Speaker 1: normal clothes, he can't buy a regular sleeping bag, you 724 00:38:27,760 --> 00:38:30,560 Speaker 1: can't buy a regular car. I mean, you realize this 725 00:38:30,680 --> 00:38:33,400 Speaker 1: world is not fit for anyone his size. But the 726 00:38:33,440 --> 00:38:35,880 Speaker 1: worst thing he said about being that tall is that 727 00:38:36,160 --> 00:38:39,200 Speaker 1: when you're seven ft six, you're looking down on everything 728 00:38:39,480 --> 00:38:42,360 Speaker 1: and everything is dirty now. So we're seeing like ceiling 729 00:38:42,440 --> 00:38:45,759 Speaker 1: fans and tops of fridges and lockers and everything is 730 00:38:45,840 --> 00:38:48,600 Speaker 1: just gross. And as a short dude, that's not something 731 00:38:48,640 --> 00:38:51,040 Speaker 1: i'd really ever think about. Oh yeah, I never thought 732 00:38:51,040 --> 00:38:53,520 Speaker 1: about that at all. That's it must be really gross. 733 00:38:53,560 --> 00:38:57,320 Speaker 1: So all right, pandas, let's talk about pandas. So pandas 734 00:38:57,320 --> 00:39:00,960 Speaker 1: seem completely useless, right, but they have a bacteria in 735 00:39:00,960 --> 00:39:03,360 Speaker 1: their stomach that can reduce the mass and volume of 736 00:39:03,400 --> 00:39:07,359 Speaker 1: garbage by which is great because anytime you don't want 737 00:39:07,360 --> 00:39:08,759 Speaker 1: to take your trash out, you should be able to 738 00:39:08,800 --> 00:39:10,400 Speaker 1: rent a pan at a squad on your rubbers. And 739 00:39:10,480 --> 00:39:13,120 Speaker 1: it feels like another great business idea. I like it. So, 740 00:39:13,400 --> 00:39:16,160 Speaker 1: speaking of what's too clean. The Mona Lisa has actually 741 00:39:16,200 --> 00:39:18,400 Speaker 1: been cleaned too often. And you know, when you picture 742 00:39:18,400 --> 00:39:21,439 Speaker 1: the Mona Lisa, you might remember she has almost non 743 00:39:21,600 --> 00:39:25,880 Speaker 1: existent eyebrows and super light lashes. But that wasn't always 744 00:39:25,920 --> 00:39:29,040 Speaker 1: the case, like she used to have thick brows, and 745 00:39:29,440 --> 00:39:32,360 Speaker 1: our analysis actually showed that all that hair got thinned 746 00:39:32,360 --> 00:39:34,799 Speaker 1: and trimmed over the years because the painting has been 747 00:39:34,840 --> 00:39:37,400 Speaker 1: cleaned too much. Okay, all right, that's a good one. 748 00:39:37,440 --> 00:39:39,040 Speaker 1: I'm going to give it to you win the battle 749 00:39:39,120 --> 00:39:41,320 Speaker 1: this time, but I'll be back with some wild tangents 750 00:39:41,600 --> 00:39:44,439 Speaker 1: next time. That's it for today's Part Time Genius. Thanks 751 00:39:44,480 --> 00:40:00,080 Speaker 1: so much for listening. Thanks again for listening to our 752 00:40:00,160 --> 00:40:02,279 Speaker 1: Time Genius. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to 753 00:40:02,360 --> 00:40:04,600 Speaker 1: your podcast, And because we're a brand new show, if 754 00:40:04,640 --> 00:40:06,680 Speaker 1: you're feeling extra generous, we'd love it if you give 755 00:40:06,719 --> 00:40:09,480 Speaker 1: us a rating on Apple Podcast. Part Time Genius is 756 00:40:09,520 --> 00:40:12,160 Speaker 1: produced by some of our favorite geniuses. It's edited by 757 00:40:12,200 --> 00:40:15,040 Speaker 1: Tristan McNeil, theme song and audio mixing by Noel Brown. 758 00:40:15,400 --> 00:40:18,400 Speaker 1: Our executive producer is Jerry Rowland. Our research team is 759 00:40:18,400 --> 00:40:22,160 Speaker 1: Gabe Lousier, Lucas Adams, Autumn Whitefield, The Toronto Austin Thompson 760 00:40:22,280 --> 00:40:25,000 Speaker 1: and Meg Robbins. Jason Hok is our chief cheerleader.